Playa del Carmen Businesses Seek Tax Relief for Low Season

PLAYA DEL CARMEN — Various business organizations in Playa del Carmen will formally request that the municipal government apply fiscal incentives to help them weather the anticipated "low season" expected in September and October.

César Navarro Medina, the operational manager of the Pez Vela restaurant and former president of the Business Coordinating Council of the Riviera Maya, stated that government support of this nature could help many of the city's hotels and restaurants maintain their employees and operational capacity.

He asserted that Playa del Carmen and other destinations in the state of Quintana Roo have endured "very difficult months" this year, primarily due to low tourist arrivals and massive seaweed (sargassum) wash-ups.

"Since Easter, we haven't felt what the high seasons are like; we've only had acceptable numbers in January. I believe this leads us to have the chambers of commerce make the request to the authorities for tax incentives so we can continue to sustain this productive base," he added.

Navarro Medina indicated that, due to this difficult situation, several businesses have already closed. He noted that many of these shuttered establishments were located between 15th Avenue and the beach area in the tourist zone.

He estimated that the closure of businesses could worsen in the coming months if small and medium-sized entrepreneurs do not receive support from authorities to face the "low season."

"We need to see how we are going to get through these coming months, which will be complicated, but there must be synergy between the authorities and the business sector to keep this functioning," he concluded.