Cancún’s Beaches Now Protected From Privatization

Cancún, Mexico — Access to the beaches that make up Cancún will be protected, a commitment that will be reflected in the upcoming update to the Benito Juárez Municipal Urban Development Program (PDU). This guarantees the protection of public beaches from privatization and sale.

To this end, a comprehensive restructuring is being carried out in coordination with the Trust for the Strengthening of Tourist Activity (Foatqroo), according to the municipal secretary of Ecology and Urban Development, Nahielli Orozco Lozano.

“One of the priorities of this government is to guarantee public services and access to the beaches. From Foatqroo, work is also being done on projects including bus stops, as well as a restructuring of the entire tourist zone, obviously also thinking about the local people,” explained the municipal official.

She emphasized that in the PDU update, all beach access points are designated as free and public. This is because there are beaches in Cancún that are open to the population, and the access points to them, according to the program, are designated as open and public, thereby guaranteeing accessibility.

“Regarding concessions, that is already a federal matter where the uses that can be carried out in those areas are determined, but we as a municipality guarantee the part related to the land use of the properties that are there, but the tourist aspect like the beach is already a federal matter,” highlighted the interviewee.

She mentioned that a crucial part of the management is to ensure total accessibility to the beaches for all people, including those with disabilities. This will be achieved through the improvement and rehabilitation of ramps, sidewalks, and bus stops, aligned with current regulations.

For its part, Foatqroo is promoting the modernization, conservation, and maintenance of key infrastructure in the tourist zone. This includes the rehabilitation of the urban image, the improvement of essential public services, and the road infrastructure on Kukulcán Boulevard.

This joint effort seeks not only to maintain the competitiveness of the tourist destination but also to ensure that development translates into shared prosperity, preserving the public and free use of the beaches as a fundamental right of citizens.

Environmental groups such as DMAS have urged the City Council to begin the development of the new PDU that restores the "public beach" land use designation to the sandy areas, in accordance with the General Law of National Property. This is because currently, only Playa del Niño, Delfines, and Coral have that recognition.