Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — A deteriorating road connecting Akumal to the community of Uxuxubí has caused a sharp decline in birdwatching tourism, with daily visitor numbers dropping from 50 to just five.
Local residents and business owners are now organizing to fund repairs for the approximately 10-kilometer stretch, estimated to cost 800,000 pesos.
Juan Pablo Cruz Morales, president of the Uxuxubí civil association, said the community must pool resources to fix the road. “We all have to chip in, pass the hat around, because without a good road, tourism doesn’t come,” he stated, noting that Uxuxubí was a pioneer in birdwatching tourism on the Yucatan Peninsula.
Lack of Coordination Between Municipalities
Heavy use by ATVs has worsened the road’s condition in recent years, as it has become a popular ecotourism corridor. “People no longer want to risk getting stuck halfway with no cell signal,” Cruz Morales warned.
The issue has been raised with Playa del Carmen authorities, but most of the road falls under Tulum’s jurisdiction, complicating efforts. Cruz Morales said about 10 ecotourism projects, including zip-lining and hiking activities, operate along the route, most located in Tulum territory.
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