Fonatur to Invest Over 10 Million Pesos in Mayaka’an Community Tourism

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Fonatur, Mexico’s national tourism development fund, is set to invest more than 10 million pesos in infrastructure in Mayaka’an this year, strengthening the area’s image and helping establish it as the country’s first community tourism destination, a state tourism official said.

Andrés Aguilar, deputy secretary of the State Tourism Secretariat (Sedetur), said the investment follows the federal government’s announcement promoting community tourism in Tihosuco. He said Mayaka’an is expected to become the first community tourism destination, with Fonatur contributing directly to infrastructure projects.

Aguilar said officials are evaluating infrastructure projects that include signage not only in the area but along the entire Caste War route and on major highways leading to the zone. Another project focuses on urban image, aiming to extend the Caminos Ancestrales (Ancestral Paths) initiative, similar to the remodeling of downtown Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Additional proposals, still at the study stage, involve waste management, energy, and water sanitation.

He said the signage and ancestral paths investments are being incorporated into the list of pending projects but are expected to be carried out this year.

Aguilar explained that the funds will be channeled through a destination management body in Mayaka’an, where decisions are made jointly. Fonatur, Conagua (the National Water Commission) and Conanp (the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas) have joined voluntarily, and although they don’t have voting seats, they provide ongoing support. He said this governance model helps direct investment toward projects that boost community tourism and strengthen the central and southern regions of the state.

“That has allowed Fonatur to view these governance schemes favorably, where projects are analyzed and decisions are made about which ones move forward and which don’t,” Aguilar said.

The same governance approach will be applied in Cancún, which recently received a declaration as a Priority Zone for Sustainable Tourism Management over an area of more than 1,000 hectares, including the hotel zone and Tajamar. Officials are in the process of installing the board members who will help define the sustainable direction of the region’s most mature destination.