Quintana Roo Limits Tourism Growth in Cancún-Tulum

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Cancún and Tulum will be designated under the new figure of a priority sustainable tourism management zone in an effort to cap real estate and hotel growth, due to the saturation of supply both destinations are facing.

This new figure, contained in the current General Tourism Law of Quintana Roo, is binding, meaning that municipalities are required to consider its postulates within management instruments such as Urban Development Plans.

Andrés Aguilar Becerril, Undersecretary of Tourism in Quintana Roo, explained that they are working hand in hand with eleven state government agencies. They are working on the reports that outline the limits and vocations that both destinations must maintain given their current state.

“A clear example is Cancún, where what corresponds to this destination now is to renew itself, starting with infrastructure and the product. Thus, generate new policies or new instruments that allow us to mitigate problems such as the issue of abandoned properties. He cited the example of wastewater treatment plants that are reaching a limit capacity and that also require new technologies, new investments, and new management schemes.”

In the case of Tulum, he mentioned the ‘Tulum Renace’ strategy, which precisely seeks to order the growth. It is currently the responsibility of the municipality, but with state criteria through this new figure.

Another obligation marked by the priority sustainable tourism management zone is to form a destination management body that is responsible for implementing the vocations and limitations marked for each destination.

Additionally, a proactive participation of the State Secretariat of Tourism will be sought in public consultations on the urban growth of both cities.

Once Cancún and Tulum are decreed as priority zones, Bacalar and Mahahual will follow, where, although there is not yet growth at the same level as in the north of the state, new investments have already begun to arrive, so it will be sought that this growth does not get out of control.