Beach Access Plan Faces Hotel Hurdles in Quintana Roo

Cancún, Mexico — Following the approval of a measure to guarantee free access to beaches and protected natural areas across the country, hotel industry leaders in Quintana Roo have expressed that applying it at every hotel front would be complicated, though they are open to collaborating on establishing some access points.

The leader of the hotel associations for Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres, Rodrigo de la Peña, stated that while he reserves final judgment until reviewing the initiative in depth, he believes it would be challenging to implement at every property.

"Indeed, there are several hotels that do not have direct access. So it is a significant challenge. Of course, the beach is a federal zone and everyone can travel there freely, but having access points at all hotels, that I see as complicated. But well, we are going to analyze how the initiative is written and from there, I think the correct thing would be to have several access points, but it cannot be at all hotels," de la Peña said.

A Positive Step for Public Access

David Ortiz Mena, president of the Mexican Caribbean Hotel Council, viewed the final form of the legislative initiative positively, believing it will help improve upon a long-standing social demand.

"Particularly, for example, in Tulum, we have seen how there is a lack of public access to the beach due to a lack of planning in this destination," Ortiz Mena stated.

He recalled, however, that the responsibility for guaranteeing free beach access falls to the municipalities. Therefore, "the reform will help us improve beach access without placing the responsibility solely on the private sector."

"We see it as good, we believe it will not be a reform that is harmful to tourism, and it could improve a social desire to have greater public access to the beach," he added.

The Approved Reform

On September 1, with support from all political parties, the full Chamber of Deputies approved modifications to the law to guarantee free access to beaches and protected natural areas throughout the country, as well as to prohibit the imposition of fees, charges, or restrictive conditions for entry.

This ruling, derived from an initiative by Ricardo Monreal, the leader of the Morena party in the Chamber of Deputies, stipulates that access to maritime beaches and the contiguous federal maritime-terrestrial zone will be free, open, and permanent for all people.

In addition to establishing that federal, state, and municipal authorities, within their respective jurisdictions, will guarantee access from public roads to maritime beaches and the contiguous federal maritime-terrestrial zone—which must be safe and signposted—the law also prohibits the imposition of fees, charges, or restrictive conditions for entry.

This prohibition stands except for those areas where access is not permitted by explicit disposition for environmental prevention and protection, public safety, and national interest.