Mexican Environmental Agency Rejects Pedestrian Walkway Project in Cozumel

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Mexico’s environmental agency has rejected a proposed pedestrian walkway that would have connected shopping areas between the International Cruise Terminal and Park Royal hotel in Cozumel, citing environmental regulations.

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) announced that its General Directorate of Environmental Impact and Risk (Dgira) denied approval for the “Pedestrian Connectivity between Commercial Plazas of the International Cruise Terminal and Park Royal in Cozumel” project.

In a resolution dated April 5, 2026, officials determined the project “is not viable” based on environmental laws. The decision cites Article 35, Section III, subsection a of Mexico’s General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection, along with Article 45, Section III of related environmental impact regulations.

Project proponents had argued the walkway was needed because the area serves as a major tourism and commerce hub in the Mexican Caribbean, with evolving visitor consumption patterns and preferences. The proposed connection would have run beneath a municipal roadway, linking two commercial facilities that already have separate environmental permits.

Despite these arguments, Dgira denied the Environmental Impact Statement (MIA) for the project. The resolution states that “with this determination, the administrative procedure established for the environmental impact evaluation of the project is concluded,” and orders the case file to be archived.

Authorities must also notify the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) in Quintana Roo and inform the general representative of SSA México SA de CV through legal channels.