INAH Director Warns of Tourism Decline in Quintana Roo Due to Security Concerns and New Archaeological Site Fees

Chetumal, Mexico — The director of INAH Quintana Roo has warned that tourism in the state could decline due to security concerns, new fees for archaeological sites, and international economic uncertainty.

Margarito Molina Rendon said multiple factors are affecting Quintana Roo’s image as a tourist destination, including violence and the costs visitors must pay to access archaeological zones.

He cited international economic uncertainty, European conditions, tariffs announced by the U.S. government, and new prices for archaeological site access as discouraging tourist interest.

Molina Rendon clarified that for the Tulum archaeological zone, there was never discussion about avoiding access fees. Since the creation of the Jaguar Park, the Mundo Maya group, which depends on the Defense Ministry, has applied charges, in addition to fees from the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conamp) and INAH.

The combination of all these payments makes access to the archaeological zone a complicated issue, he said.

For the Chacchoben archaeological zone, he noted that tourists must pay what INAH’s revenue law establishes plus seven dollars charged by local landowners who maintain their own collection booth.

He recalled that since 2001, with the creation of Mahahual, shipping companies sought to offer entertainment alternatives to tourists arriving in the area and, through agreements with government authorities and landowners, considered the Chacchoben zone.

Over time, agreements have been signed and changed by tour operators with government authorities and landowners, “but archaeological zones are national heritage and not social property, as the president has said,” he added.

He said the state government has tried to negotiate with landowners over the seven-dollar charge, but so far there have been no results to eliminate it.