Tourism Firms Cut Costs and Borrow to Survive 2026, AFEET Says

Quintana Roo, Mexico — A sharp contraction in tourism has pushed travel companies to slash spending and, in some cases, take on debt to get through 2026, though no businesses have closed so far, the head of the industry group AFEET in Quintana Roo said.

Claudia González, president of AFEET — the Association of Women Executives in Tourism Companies — said the downturn forced firms to cut expenses, draw on teamwork and resilience, and borrow where necessary rather than shut down. She said members were careful not to overspend and supported one another to keep costs under control.

She spoke during the Summit Afeet Trends, held under the theme “Recover, reinvent and lead: tourism’s new cycle,” which aims to help the sector prepare for the challenges of 2027 after a difficult 2026.

Year-end payroll pressure

González said the sector is working to build an additional reserve to cover end-of-year expenses, and acknowledged that some hotels may need loans to meet their year-end labor obligations.

She stressed that the industry has not lost jobs, but has seen turnover as workers leave in search of better conditions or to start businesses of their own.

AFEET has 400 members nationwide who hold decision-making roles in the tourism sector, 60% of them in key positions, which González said makes training a priority.

The organization works with major industry bodies including the National Tourism Business Council (CNET), the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and UN Tourism on ways to keep growing and strengthening Mexico’s tourism sector, where women play a central role, she said.

González said much remains to be done and that there are numerous areas of opportunity, since strategies that worked a year ago no longer do and companies must be ready for those changes.

Sargassum and shifting seasons

AFEET is also coordinating with public and private authorities on issues affecting the industry, including climate change and the sargassum seaweed that washes ashore, which alters the sector’s seasonal patterns.

Beyond its work on the Yucatan Peninsula, the group is also active in Baja California and Baja California Sur, where similar pressures have forced operators to find ways to keep growing, she said.