Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The Playa del Carmen Small Hotels Association is closely monitoring conflicts in the Middle East, concerned they could impact tourist arrivals during this peak season.
Ofner Arjona, head of the organization, acknowledged that such global events significantly affect tourism, often leading to last-minute cancellations as seen in previous instances. The concern follows heightened tensions in the Middle East involving Iran and U.S. and Israeli allies—nations that contribute substantial tourist numbers to this destination.
“Tourism is ultimately a highly sensitive sector regarding any security or health issue,” Arjona explained. “If there’s any type of disease outbreak, people stop traveling; if there’s any security situation, people also stop traveling. But now we’re talking about global levels—a domino effect impact.”
How Does This Affect Tourism?
According to data from the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council, hotel occupancy in the Riviera Maya remains at an average of 80% as of Friday, March 13—acceptable numbers considering some slowdown in the hotel industry during 2025.
“Ultimately, all aspects—airlines, airports, trends, oil prices—make it difficult to know the real impact, but that there will be an impact is definite,” Arjona added.
Despite this uncertainty, the Riviera Maya is preparing for a sensational summer with the World Cup celebration, combined with positive forecasts for bar and restaurant traffic during live sports broadcasts.
Additionally, the city will host the Uruguayan national soccer team’s training camp, putting Playa del Carmen in the global spotlight as international media closely follows the team.
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