Maya Kaan Community Tourism Model to Be Replicated Across Mexico

Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo — The Maya Kaan community tourism model, developed in Quintana Roo, will be replicated in other regions of Mexico as part of a national strategy to promote inclusive and sustainable tourism development.

Senator Eugenio “Gino” Segura, president of the Senate Tourism Commission, announced the expansion during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s visit to the Mayan zone. He highlighted that Quintana Roo has become a national reference for community tourism through projects like Maya Kaan.

“Maya Kaan was the beginning,” Segura said, noting the model demonstrates how tourism can drive shared prosperity beyond traditional destinations. The approach integrates rural and indigenous communities into tourism activities, promoting more inclusive development with direct economic benefits and better distribution of revenue.

Federal Support for Indigenous Communities

During events in Felipe Carrillo Puerto and Tihosuco, Segura emphasized federal government support for a new social investment scheme. The Fund for Social Infrastructure Contributions to Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Peoples (FAISPIAM) will have a budget of 13.5 billion pesos in 2026 to strengthen infrastructure and social development projects in marginalized areas and consolidate community tourism as an income source.

Additionally, the National Tourism Promotion Fund (Fonatur) will for the first time have permanently earmarked resources to directly support communities.

New Legislation and Expansion Plans

Segura revealed that the Senate is working on legislation to complement the presidential decree on community tourism. The proposal will include mechanisms to foster community participation, incentivize investment, and promote emerging destinations under this model.

As part of this strategy, President Sheinbaum proposed replicating the Maya Kaan model in new regions, including:

• The United Pueblos of Oaxaca
• Caminos del Mayab in Yucatan

This positions Quintana Roo not only as a tourism leader but as a reference for a more inclusive and sustainable development model.