Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Mexico will issue its first Geographical Indication for a nature-based tourism activity on July 29, when a decree recognizing Playa del Carmen’s bull shark viewing and diving operations is published in the Official Gazette of the Federation.
The designation certifies that the activity is based on the natural conditions of local waters and more than a decade of community and scientific work to conserve and responsibly manage the bull shark, a vulnerable species.
The process involved working groups with federal, state and municipal authorities, researchers, tourism operators, fishing cooperatives and civil organizations. The only remaining step is the legal period for possible challenges.
The “Tiburón Toro de Playa del Carmen” Geographical Indication establishes conservation protocols and best practices, positioning the destination as a national and international reference for nature tourism. Currently, 42 bull sharks have been identified in the area, and their seasonal presence supports a specialized tourism industry.
The University of the Caribbean prepared the technical research, and Quintana Roo’s Economic Development Secretariat coordinated the institutional process. Since 2010, the organization Saving Our Sharks has promoted shark conservation in the Mexican Caribbean, and in 2017 the bull shark was included in the management program of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.
With the decree, Playa del Carmen becomes the first destination in Mexico to receive a Geographical Indication linked to nature tourism, strengthening protection of the species and the marine ecosystem.
