Playa del Carmen Businesses Seek Later Closing Hours for Bars and Restaurants

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Business owners in Playa del Carmen have asked city hall to extend operating hours for their establishments as they struggle with the economic slowdown of the low tourist season, municipal inspections and collections director Julián Lara Maldonado said.

Lara Maldonado said several proprietors have approached his office to raise the possibility, and that they have been directed to file the corresponding requests with the Secretariat of Economic Development and Investment Promotion.

He said any authorization would have to be studied case by case, taking into account the areas where it might apply and the conditions of each business, mainly to avoid affecting third parties.

The director recalled that extending hours in Playa del Carmen’s tourist zone has been complicated because some hoteliers have complained about noise from bars and other nightlife venues.

Attention Turns to Cancún’s Precedent

The issue has gained prominence since the Benito Juárez city council approved extending operating hours until 5:00 a.m. for establishments in Cancún’s hotel zone.

Lara Maldonado nonetheless argued that Playa del Carmen does not necessarily need a blanket measure. He said the Revenue Department could review requests from bars and restaurants interested in staying open longer and verify whether they meet the conditions required to avoid disturbing neighbors, hoteliers and other sectors.

Once the Revenue Department determines which establishments meet the requirements, it will send the list to inspections and collections for follow-up on the applications, he said.

The aim, Lara Maldonado explained, is to weigh alternatives that let businesses make the most of the low season without neglecting public order or disturbing the rest of residents and visitors.