Local Hoteliers Accuse Tren Maya Hotel of Unfair Competition in Calakmul

Calakmul, Campeche — Local hoteliers in communities around Calakmul are accusing the state-run Tren Maya hotel of unfair competition, saying it monopolizes tourism in the area and is driving small businesses to the brink of collapse.

The hotel, operated by the Mexican Army (SEDENA) under the Grupo Mundo Maya brand, benefits from its location within the buffer zone of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, giving it an advantage that local entrepreneurs say is crippling their operations.

Enrique Rodríguez, spokesperson for a group of hoteliers in Calakmul, said 14 hotel businesses are in crisis, along with approximately 20 other nearby enterprises. More than 100 families are affected, he added, while the Tren Maya hotel reports occupancy rates of only 20 to 30 percent.

Tania Fernández, a federal deputy with the Movimiento Ciudadano party, said the hotel’s practices have disrupted the local tourism ecosystem. Previously, visitors to Calakmul would stay in hotels in communities like Xpujil and use local transportation to access the reserve, generating a range of ancillary services.

“That doesn’t happen anymore,” Fernández said. “Now everything goes directly to the state-run hotel, and it’s directly harming local business owners.”

She alleged that the booking platform Booking.com drives 70 percent of the hotel’s reservations, and that its algorithm prioritizes the Tren Maya property over local options. “The algorithm doesn’t show local hotels as options—it shows the Mundo Maya, the one owned by the Mexican government,” she said.

Fernández noted that the region is currently in a low tourism season, but even with an expected uptick during Holy Week, local businesses see no improvement. “Business owners tell me that before, reservations would come in months in advance. That’s not happening now,” she said.

Rodríguez also pointed to the hotel’s bundled offerings—including food, beverages, amenities, and transportation—as factors that put local providers at a disadvantage. He mentioned an attempted night tour at the archaeological site, which is prohibited under historic monument protection laws, as an example of overreach.

“That’s what we’re up against—we offer the same services, but from farther away,” he said.

According to industry reports, occupancy across Tren Maya hotels remains below 5 percent one year after opening, compared to a national average of around 60 percent for Mexico’s tourism sector. Destinations with Tren Maya hotels, including Tulum, Nuevo Uxmal, and Tulum Airport, have hosted just over 60,000 visitors since opening, far below their combined capacity of 3,372 guests.