Quintana Roo Tourist Exodus Linked to Taxi Strife & Safety Worries

Travel advisory firms have noted that safety concerns and issues with local transportation services are discouraging tourists from visiting certain areas.

Historically popular destinations such as Playa del Carmen, Cancún, and Tulum are losing out to locations like Nuevo Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, and Yucatan spots like Progreso and Sisal. This shift is largely due to increasing worries among domestic tourists about the potential for conflict or aggression, particularly involving local taxi drivers. Travel advisory firms, including Mex-Travel and Go-Vacation, have noted in recent reports that tourists are opting for other destinations due to ongoing conflicts between taxi drivers and ride-sharing platforms, as well as the general sense of insecurity in these areas. The Quintana Roo Ministry of Tourism (Sedetur) annual survey supports these findings, with 19% of respondents rating local transportation as poor.

Playa del Carmen's Coastal Erosion Deters Visitors

Cost is another factor influencing tourists' choice of destination. Around 35% of survey respondents found the prices of all-inclusive hotels in the Riviera Maya to be too high, prompting them to seek more affordable options. On average, tourists reported spending up to 60% more on a trip to Quintana Roo compared to other increasingly popular destinations. These findings coincide with the recent drop in occupancy rates at Quintana Roo's beaches. Despite claims from the head of Sedetur that the state is attracting more visitors than in previous years, the surge in available accommodations has led to a decrease in the percentage of occupied rooms.