Coparmex Warns of 40% Revenue Drop in Quintana Roo as Low Season Bites

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Businesses across Quintana Roo are bracing for a difficult low season that could slash revenue by 40 percent, according to the head of the local employers’ association.

Jovita Portillo Navarro, president of Coparmex in Quintana Roo, said the state is entering a critical period marked by tight liquidity and a slowdown in investment. She warned that the weak tourist and commercial activity would force many local companies, especially small and medium-sized businesses, to seek financing and other alternatives to stay afloat.

“We are indeed in a critical season,” Portillo Navarro said. “For the coming months, as we head toward the end of the year, we don’t see an uptick. We’re talking about a 40 percent reduction in economic activity.”

The organization is now reviewing the situation of each member company and looking for ways to help them get through the months of low activity. Portillo Navarro said one option would be to rely on financing while also strengthening an internal circular economy among businesses.

“We have to build a circular economy among ourselves,” she said. “If what’s missing is liquidity, we have to consider continuing with our staff to keep surviving, along with our tax and social security burdens.”

Protecting jobs is the main goal, she said, but it will be a significant challenge given accumulated fixed costs and current employer obligations.

The economic uncertainty is also taking a toll on investment expectations. Only 23 percent of companies in the state still intend to invest, Portillo Navarro said, a drastic decline in confidence.

She also noted that recurring power outages in the region are creating extra costs for merchants. Coparmex is evaluating whether to promote the installation of solar panels among its members to reduce expenses and keep businesses viable during the seasonal slump.