Low Occupancy Triggers Layoffs and Unpaid Leave in Riviera Maya Hotels

Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo — Hotels in the Riviera Maya are laying off workers and imposing unpaid leave of up to 15 days as hotel occupancy continues to decline, according to employees and former workers.

José Cruz Mendoza, a hotel worker, described the situation as critical, saying there is fear among those employed in the tourism industry. Olga María Álvarez, now unemployed, said she was let go because she was a recent hire, while longer-tenured staff are being given “solidarity days” — mandatory unpaid leave.

Workers lamented the measures, as they depend on their wages to pay rent, buy food, and cover school expenses for their children.

Rodrigo Velazco, a former hotel employee, revealed that some hotels are taking advantage of the low season to fire workers with two to four years of seniority, aiming to reduce severance payouts. “I’ll go back to my home state to avoid paying rent and other expenses. Here, without money, you don’t eat — it’s very complicated,” he said.

José Cruz Mendoza said his days at his current job are numbered. “I was told I’ll be let go at the end of April, but I’ll look for options to survive because I have a family to support. I won’t give up,” he said.

Olga María Álvarez said she is preparing to sell unused items and has decided to try entrepreneurship. “I can’t sit idly by, and I’m not going to wait for the government to help me. I’ve been used to working since I was very young,” she said.

Some companies are offering job openings, but workers describe the pay as “starvation wages.” “With 300 pesos a day, you can’t live in this city because everything is very expensive, especially when you have children in school,” one woman said.

According to INEGI (the national statistics agency), a middle-class household in Mexico in 2026 needs an average monthly income of 22,300 to 23,500 pesos, though the range varies from 10,000 to nearly 50,000 pesos in urban areas. However, accountant Augusto Santos said few people earn those salaries except public servants. “In the private sector, wages are starvation wages, and that’s why many people have two jobs to survive given the rising cost of basic goods,” he said.