More Than 4,533 Hotel Rooms Closed for Renovation in Northern Quintana Roo

Cancun, Quintana Roo — Hotels in the main tourist corridors of northern Quintana Roo have taken more than 4,533 rooms out of service for renovation as the autumn season brings a sharp drop in occupancy, according to local hotel associations.

The closures are concentrated in the Cancun hotel zone, downtown Cancun, Puerto Morelos and the Riviera Maya. Hotel operators describe the renovation work as an investment to maintain high quality standards across the destination’s hotel stock.

Occupancy in the Cancun hotel zone stood at 49.3% during the first days of September, according to the Hotel Association of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres, meaning one in two rooms was empty. The decline is sharper than the historical figures usually recorded at this time of year.

Industry leaders say the low season has just begun and expect the steepest fall to come after the September 15 holiday weekend, while looking ahead to a strong winter season as hotels prepare for renewed demand.

Meanwhile, the state Tourism Secretariat (Sedetur) and the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council (CPTQ) have stepped up promotional campaigns in Mexico and abroad.

The CPTQ attended the 2026 Professional Tourism Meeting (EPTU), held at the Hotel Camino Real Polanco in Mexico City, which brought together more than 700 travel agents and tourism professionals. The Mexican Caribbean pavilion included 15 exhibitors presenting the state’s 12 destinations to buyers from central and southern Mexico in a business-to-business format.

The council also held a road show in Houston and Austin, Texas, for more than 180 travel agents, alongside hotel and tourism association representatives. The United States is Quintana Roo’s main source of tourists, with more than 3.69 million U.S. visitors in 2025.