Playa del Carmen, Mexico – At least four small hotels had to close their doors permanently during 2025, primarily due to the growth of vacation rentals through digital platforms, said Offner Arjona, president of the Association of Small Hotels of Playa del Carmen.
In a brief interview, the hotel leader pointed out that, due to the growth that digital lodging platforms have experienced in recent years, a contraction in hotel development has been observed, which is why he insisted on the need for authorities to regulate providers of this service.
“We continue to emphasize the legal framework. We need the authorities to start regulating these things,” he added.
The interviewee insisted that small hotels are required to cover all types of licenses to operate, but not so for vacation rental platforms.
In that sense, Offner Arjona described as “good news” the plans of the municipal Civil Protection to begin this regularization, from its scope.
He highlighted that the objective of regulating digital platforms is to guarantee the economic development of the hotel sector, on which thousands of families in the state depend.
Finally, Offner Arjona highlighted that small hotels are already working on strategies for the summer of the following year, given the possibility of facing various adversities, such as the arrival of sargassum or the impact of meteorological phenomena.
He emphasized that the 2026 Soccer World Cup will also represent an excellent opportunity for the business sector of the Mexican Caribbean, considering that Quintana Roo will host team camps.
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