Hoteliers Clash with Vacation Rental Growth in Mexican Caribbean

TULUM, QR — The tourism sector in Quintana Roo is experiencing a paradox of perspectives. While hotel leadership raises its voice demanding that municipalities stop “dragging their feet” and impose severe limits on vacation rentals, considering them a social and security threat, the reality of the real estate market points in the opposite direction: the consolidation of a hybrid model in which even large international hotel chains are already investing in digital platforms.

The Hoteliers’ Demand

David Ortiz Mena, president of the Mexican Caribbean Hotel Council and the Tulum Hotel Association, was blunt in his criticism. He stated that, while the state government has begun efforts to collect taxes from these applications, there is no attempt to regulate them, referring to establishing clear operational limits such as zoning or the number of nights allowed.

For the hotel leader, the uncontrolled growth of platforms like Airbnb has triggered a housing crisis in tourist cities, driving up rental costs for the local population and worsening the worker deficit.

“Here the exhortation is that the municipalities in our state stop ‘dragging their feet’ and get involved, to protect employment sources, the type of tourism we want… and the safety of our travelers,” said the leader.

The leader contrasted the security of hotels—which have protocols against child trafficking and crimes—with the vulnerability of vacation rentals. Additionally, he questioned the social commitment of these platforms: “Where were they during the pandemic? Where are they when it’s time to collect sargassum? Ninety percent is collected by hoteliers,” states a press release.

The Contradiction: The Rise of the Hybrid Model

However, Ortiz Mena’s catastrophic vision clashes with market data recently revealed. According to information disseminated by the newspaper 24 Horas Quintana Roo, the lodging model is not shrinking but evolving toward a hybrid scheme.

Manuel Lozano Álvarez, president of the Vacation Rental Administrators Association in Quintana Roo, explained that traditional hospitality is expanding its portfolio with villas and apartments. Giants like Hilton, Marriott, and Wyndham already participate in the vacation rental segment and have joined digital platforms, blurring the dividing line that previously existed between both worlds.

This sector is not minor: the annual investment in the vacation rental market in Quintana Roo exceeds 588 million dollars, driven by new international investments seeking standardized services (private chef, spa) within rental apartments.

The Challenge of Level Playing Field

While Miguel Ángel Lemus Mateos describes this phenomenon as a “democratization of lodging” that pressures traditional vacation clubs, Airbnb figures, shared by its Public Affairs Director, Sebastián Colin Ávila, indicate an economic spill of 145 billion pesos in Mexico during 2024.

The contradiction is clear: while local hoteliers ask to restrict the supply to protect the destination, the global market and developers bet on expanding and integrating it. Amid this debate, Bernardo Cueto Riestra, president of Asetur, stated that governments are working on regulatory frameworks to achieve a “level playing field,” a balance that, for now, seems distant between the demands for restriction and the reality of hybrid expansion.