Tulum’s Plan to Boost Tourism This Season

TULUM — The hotel sector and local authorities are working in coordination to address criticism, improve the tourist experience, and increase occupancy rates towards the end of the year, according to a leading industry representative.

David Ortiz Mena, president of the Mexican Caribbean Hotel Council and the Tulum Hotel Association, stated that Tulum is currently navigating a complex situation stemming from both external factors and local issues. He asserted that all sectors are now working together to address the challenges the destination faces, with an eye toward the year-end season when hotel occupancies are forecast to exceed 80 percent.

In an interview, Ortiz Mena acknowledged that while unacceptable situations have occurred—such as excessive transportation charges or cases of police abuse—many of the criticisms circulating on social media originate from unverifiable or directly false events.

In recent days, the Tulum hotel sector held a meeting with municipal authorities, which was also attended by the general secretary of the taxi union's syndicate. During the meeting, the main challenges facing the destination were addressed, and an agreement was reached to establish working groups to tackle them and provide precise follow-up on the commitments made.

Ortiz Mena explained that since last summer, hotel occupancy has remained below expectations, partly due to external factors such as the global economic outlook and uncertainty in the United States. He noted that the U.S. federal government is currently in a shutdown, which has caused disruptions to flights and consumer confidence.

At the local level, he added, there are also conditions that have impacted the destination's competitiveness, such as the triple charge for access to the Jaguar Park, a topic that is already under discussion with state and federal authorities.

In the municipal sphere, he highlighted advances in security matters, though he acknowledged that the next step is to work on the visitor's perception.

"We must improve the experience of our tourists from their arrival at the Cancún Airport, their transit on Federal Highway 307, and, of course, during their stay in Tulum," he explained.

Finally, he called on all sector stakeholders and the public to verify the truthfulness of information circulating on social media, as many posts come from unreliable sources or lack substantiation.