Riviera Maya Workers Revolt as Bonus Payments Dry Up Amid Sales Slump

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Hotel workers in the Riviera Maya are pushing back as a sharp drop in sales leaves many without expected bonus payments, with one hotel in Tulum already on strike.

The Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants (CROC) is in talks with eight of 15 hotels that reported zero profits for the year, seeking compensatory payments for employees. Meanwhile, at the Kore Tulum hotel — operated by the same company that ran the now-closed Parnassus in Cancún — workers walked off the job Saturday after the property shut down without paying severance, benefits, or even wages.

“A strike is not a positive thing, but dialogue and negotiation with the company have been exhausted,” said Uri Carmona Islas, CROC delegate. He noted that since Kore Tulum had been closed since October last year, no tourists were affected.

Under Mexican law, companies must distribute profit-sharing by the end of this month. Carmona said some hotels will pay the maximum of 90 days’ salary, others between 50 and 60 days, and some “very little.” The 15 hotels reporting zero profits are the focus of negotiations.

“We have to reach agreements to obtain a decent number of salary days,” Carmona said. He added that most payments range from 50 to 60 days, equivalent to between 15,000 and 22,000 pesos ($750–$1,100), and advised workers to manage the money carefully, as occupancy rates this year are lower than last.

According to first-quarter earnings reports, Mexican hotel chains including Posadas, Grupo Hotelero Santa Fe, Fibra, RLH, and Marriott have all reported declining revenues and profits due to a drop in U.S. travelers. Competing destinations like Punta Cana have fared better, despite the closure of Cuba and Jamaica to many tourists.

Low-cost carrier Viva Aerobús also reported a 7.1% drop in passenger traffic in April 2026 compared to the same month last year, carrying 2.3 million passengers — further evidence of the tourism slowdown in Mexico.