Jaguar Park Faces New Hotel Development Threat

TULUM — Environmental organizations have raised alarms over a new application submitted by the company Desarrollos Inmobiliarios Turquesa, the developer behind the Eos Curio Collection by Hilton complex. The company is seeking authorization from the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) to construct a wastewater treatment plant and a desalination plant within the zone of influence of the Jaguar National Park.

According to the Environmental Impact Statement (MIA) published in the Ecological Gazette, the project contemplates an investment of nearly 10 million pesos, of which one million would be allocated to environmental mitigation measures. The document states that the company argues the plants are necessary to guarantee the water supply and adequate waste management for the hotel complex, citing a lack of drainage infrastructure in Tulum.

However, the proposed location, situated at the entrance of the protected natural area, has generated concern among environmentalists, who warn that the construction of this type of infrastructure could affect the ecological balance of the zone.

“This is an ecological transition area that functions as a natural barrier to protect the jungle and the biological corridors that connect with the system of cenotes and the ecosystems of the Mexican Caribbean. Any alteration in this environment could generate irreversible effects,” stated consulted specialists.

The area is home to endemic and endangered species and is also a zone for aquifer recharge. According to experts, the installation of a desalination and treatment plant in this strip could imply risks of contamination, overexploitation, and fragmentation of the natural habitat.

The developer's track record increases distrust: in 2023, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) imposed a fine exceeding two million pesos on the same company for beginning construction without environmental authorization. Despite this, the project continued with private investments of more than 712 million pesos, destined for the construction of five residential towers, a services building, and luxury swimming pools.

It is worth noting that a detachment of the Secretary of the Navy (Semar) operates within the perimeter of the property, installed to reinforce environmental surveillance of the Jaguar Park and prevent irregular construction within its area of influence.

The ruling from Semarnat will be key to defining the future of the development and setting a precedent on the limits of real estate growth in Tulum, a destination facing pressure from tourism and land speculation.

While the company maintains that the plants aim to mitigate the project's environmental impact, environmental organizations insist that this new phase represents a direct risk to the integrity of the Jaguar National Park, one of the last areas of coastal jungle in a good state of conservation in the Mexican Caribbean.