Tourist Boat Traffic Plunges 30% in Quintana Roo Ports

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Tourist boat traffic across Mexico’s Caribbean coast has fallen sharply, according to official figures for August 2026 released by the state’s port operations system, Apiqroo.

Quintana Roo recorded 4,387 vessel movements during the month, an aggregate decline of 30.32% at the three busiest tourist ports — Cozumel, Puerto Juárez and Isla Mujeres — compared with the same period last year.

How Each Port Performed

Isla Mujeres remained the busiest port, logging 3,043 movements and 97,979 passengers in August. Even so, its passenger count fell 20.88% from August 2025, pointing to lighter crowds despite the port’s leading volume.

Cozumel reported 1,048 movements and 46,923 passengers, with declines exceeding 42% in both categories year over year.

Puerto Juárez posted the most dramatic drop. Its 296 operations represented a comparatively modest 9.98% fall in movements, but passenger traffic collapsed by 66.09%, with only 12,644 people transported.

July’s Peak Gives Way to an August Slump

Monthly trend data show that after an uneven first half of the year, the nautical industry found relief in July 2026, the strongest month of the year for both movements, at roughly 710, and passengers, at about 26,055.

August brought a sharp correction, with both metrics falling well below the previous month — evidence that the high season failed to hold its momentum compared with the prior cycle.

The broad decline is likely to increase pressure on authorities and private operators to identify what is driving the downturn in a sector that ranks among the region’s economic pillars.