Cancún, Quintana Roo — Up to 40% of people in prostitution in Quintana Roo are minors, according to a new report from Ecpat Mexico, an international organization fighting child pornography, trafficking, and commercial sexual exploitation.
The finding means that four out of every 10 victims of sexual exploitation in the state are children or adolescents, said Norma Negrete Aguayo, Ecpat’s representative in Mexico.
Negrete described the situation as an “undeniable” crisis hitting the state’s top tourist destinations hard.
Digital Grooming and Disappearances Fuel Crisis
The 2025 report confirms a sharply rising trend, driven by an increase in child disappearances and the exponential growth of internet use. Criminals are using digital tools to contact and groom minors for commercial sexual exploitation, Negrete said.
“Unfortunately, the problem of commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in the destination is something worrying that concerns us,” she said during the signing of an agreement to implement the International Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism, known as The Code.
The historic agreement was signed by the Association of Hotels of Cancún, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres (AHCPM&IM). Its goal is to strengthen prevention, early detection, and criminal reporting within the hotel sector, a key pillar of the local economy.
World Cup Raises Red Flags
Negrete warned that the proximity of major international events, such as the upcoming FIFA World Cup, dramatically increases risk factors. Mass visitor mobility and the likelihood of international trafficking networks operating in contexts of child vulnerability are major concerns.
The warning is part of a global strategy promoted at the 2026 International Tourism Fair (Fitur) to protect not only stadiums but also hotels, lodging centers, and tourist spaces.
Despite acknowledging institutional progress and involvement from businesses and all three levels of government, Negrete lamented that the crime remains hidden due to a massive “dark figure.” Data shows that more than 90% of child sexual exploitation cases go unreported, preventing the capture of aggressors.
Hotels Now Legally Required to Have Protocols
Recent reforms to Quintana Roo’s Tourism Law now legally require tourism service providers to have specific protocols to prevent this crime. The regulations also mandate strict verification of the relationship or guardianship between minors and the adults they are staying with.
Lisbet Melo, vice president of the hotel association, acknowledged a disconnect with reality: during the current administration of the group, only one formal complaint has been filed, contrasting sharply with the severity of the diagnosis.
Major hotel chains in Quintana Roo — including Atelier Playa Mujeres, Riu, The Fives, Park Royal, Royalton, Grupo Presidente, and Sunset World Cancún — have begun their international certification process under The Code, joining corporations across Mexico to eradicate what is being called a “silent pandemic.”
