Playa del Carmen Opens 30 New Businesses in August Despite Economic Slowdown

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Even as Playa del Carmen faces financial strain and an economic slowdown, the city continued to add new storefronts in August, opening an average of one business per day, municipal officials said.

Estefanía Hernández, the city’s secretary of Economic Development and Investment Attraction, said 30 new businesses opened last month. Together they represented an investment of close to 2 million pesos to set up and begin operations, and generated 44 direct jobs.

She said the pace of new openings has varied throughout the year. In the early months, the city recorded an average of nine new businesses per day, a figure that later fell to roughly two openings per day.

Through the Rapid Business Opening System, known as SARE, the city provided 577 consultations in August. Of those, 501 were related to opening new establishments and 73 to renewals, while the remainder involved procedures to shut businesses down.

Hernández said the department offers entrepreneurs legal and tax guidance aimed at streamlining the paperwork they need to formally launch operations.

She noted that most of the establishments now operating are considered low-risk businesses, located mainly in residential neighborhoods and subdivisions. They include grocery stores, laundries and inexpensive eateries.

The secretary said expectations of a strong close to the year for the tourism sector could have a positive effect on commercial activity and attract new investment.

Beyond the performance of the hotel industry and tourist arrivals, she said, the municipality is holding talks with representatives of various industries to draw investment, including the film and aerospace sectors.

She added that new commercial and real estate projects are also in the pipeline, among them the upcoming opening of shopping centers such as La Isla, as well as new housing developments that could expand economic and commercial activity in the municipality.

Hernández said she expects that combination of investment and the anticipated tourism performance to sustain job creation and new business openings through the final months of the year.