Nautical Tourism in Mexico Confronts Higher Costs for 2026

Cancún, Mexico — The year 2025 presented numerous challenges for the tourism sector, with the average operation in the nautical sector reaching approximately 50% of operational capacity. For 2026, the industry will have to confront new increases and costs, with the goal of achieving profitability.

Ricardo Muleiro López, director of Asociados Náuticos de Quintana Roo, highlighted that between the end and beginning of the year, occupancy could reach up to 70%, and for 2026, they expect a 10% increase over that figure.

“We always reflect at the end of the year regarding the increases that come year after year. This time, the general increase of the current minimum wage of 13%, which directly impacts payments to the Mexican Social Security Institute, as well as state obligations in the Payroll Tax, the increase of the UMA (Unit of Measurement and Update), which also taxes and increases all payments and tax rights that are based on the UMA. Similarly, the normal general increase in fuels and all inputs in the productive chain of our work in nautical tourism,” he detailed.

He noted that it is important for each nautical tourism operator, independently and with their own criteria regarding their operations, to establish these considerations in their own prices and costs to maintain profitability and quality in nautical tourism services.

In general, he said, they closed the year with a lot of work and coordination, now with 33 years of experience and currently grouping more than 80 individuals and legal entities, including tourism cooperatives and others in the nautical tourism sector, particularly from the northern part of the state of Quintana Roo.

Operationally, the focus has been on security, regulation, and compliance, with an agenda for linking with authorities at the three levels of government, thereby also reinforcing the operational documentary follow-up of affiliates.

Regarding the operational conditions of the ports for this year 2026, they are closing with approximately 50 days of port closures. The port with the most closures was Playa del Carmen, with 67 days of port closure; followed by Isla Mujeres, with 44 days; Puerto Morelos, with 43 days; and Puerto Juárez, with 42 days of port closure.

Regarding events and promotions in the sector, they promoted with presence and linkage in two very important showcases: one at the international level, the International Miami Boat Show, and the International Boat Show of Cancún, both to strengthen relationships and business opportunities.

“Likewise, on this occasion we held the 14th edition of the Cancún International Fishing Tournament Copa Asociados Náuticos, with great success and in homage to Don Diego de la Peña, a nautical pioneer of the region. And well, for this 2026 the projection is to consolidate regulation and compliance, especially in this very successful surveillance and conservation program that we have in this reef, known as MECO, where we already have three surveillance vessels,” he emphasized.

This constitutes the greatest surveillance in a reef maritime zone in the entire country, every day of the year, 8 hours daily, with park rangers who are paramedics on board these vessels that assist in this mission of the Federal Authority Port Captaincy for the safeguarding of human life at sea, the prevention of pollution, and in collaboration with the authorities.