Quintana Roo Pushes for Five More Pueblos Mágicos, Aiming to Double Its Total

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Quintana Roo is pushing to add five more destinations to Mexico’s Pueblo Mágico program, a move that would more than double the state’s current roster of recognized towns.

The candidates are Holbox, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Puerto Morelos, Mahahual and Calderitas. All five are seeking the designation awarded by the federal Tourism Department (Sectur). If every application succeeds, the state would grow from four to nine Pueblos Mágicos.

Quintana Roo currently holds four certifications: Bacalar, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Tulum.

Puerto Juárez has also surfaced in tourism discussions, but its bid is different: it has been mentioned as a candidate for the Barrio Mágico category, not Pueblo Mágico.

No Guarantee of Designation

The title is not automatic. Sectur awards it after opening a call for applications and evaluating each community, which must demonstrate — beyond cultural or natural attractions — the capacity to host visitors and preserve its heritage.

For now, the federal agency has not decided whether it will open a new round of applications or what the updated guidelines would be, leaving the five Quintana Roo locations as aspirants without a guaranteed designation.

The issue will return to the table Nov. 26-29, when Tampico, Tamaulipas, hosts the Tianguis Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos, a gathering that will bring together all 177 recognized destinations in the country.