Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Garbage and high taxi fares emerged as the top negative points in a tourist perception survey conducted in the first quarter of 2026 by the Center for Tourist Attention and Protection (CAPTA), officials announced.
When asked about their experience in Playa del Carmen, visitors highlighted issues such as litter, expensive taxi rates, poor public transportation conditions, the presence of child vendors and numerous street vendors, as well as harassment by sellers. Tourists also complained about inflated prices and the presence of intoxicated individuals on the beaches.
However, the survey also recorded positive feedback. Visitors described Playa del Carmen as a fantastic place, an excellent destination for couples, a great surprise, and a very good experience. Some noted it was one of the safest places they had visited, and many were delighted by the Mega Rosca de Reyes event in January.
Another notable finding: only eight tourists reported using the Let’s Playa app.
According to CAPTA data, during the first quarter, staff assisted 1,814 people with information — 1,017 foreigners and 797 Mexicans. A total of 1,280 tourists participated in the survey.
Regarding incidents — complaints and reports — authorities attended to and advised 207 visitors, 190 of whom were foreign nationals.
