Canadian Flights Into Tulum’s Airport Fuel Hopes for 80% Hotel Occupancy

Tulum, Quintana Roo — A growing flow of Canadian tourists into the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport is lifting expectations across Tulum’s tourism sector, which now forecasts hotel occupancy above 80% for the coming high season.

The airport currently handles four international flights and three domestic flights a day, according to municipal tourism officials.

The municipal tourism director said airlines including Air Canada, Air Transat and WestJet are bringing Canadian visitors who are looking for warm-weather destinations as temperatures drop across North America. She said the increased traffic is also starting to show up in attendance at cultural and food events, including the Hanal Pixán observance held along the coastal strip and the Festival Parrillero.

Business owners and officials from all three levels of government are preparing for visitors arriving in November and December, the director said. Through promotion efforts and improvements to the destination — including the Tulum Renace program — the aim is to strengthen economic activity and rebuild hotel occupancy levels, with expectations exceeding 80% during the holiday period.

New Sales Outlets for Maya Artisans

In parallel, officials are promoting new commercial opportunities for women artisans from Maya communities through spaces to display and sell their products. The director said coordination with ICA is expected to open a small market at CADVI where producers can sell their crafts directly.

She added that work is under way to certify artisans and traditional cooks so they can be integrated into community tourism routes and expand their income opportunities.

A festival of traditional cooks is scheduled for Nov. 21 and 22 at Parque del Jaguar, with participants from Tulum and other Quintana Roo communities. The new artisan market is also expected to open during those activities, part of a strategy to tie visitor arrivals to spending on local products and generate economic benefits for Maya communities.