Tulum’s Infrastructure Crisis: A New Path Forward

TULUM, Mexico — The current challenges facing Tulum represent a significant opportunity to enhance the destination's image and infrastructure, according to David Ortiz Mena, President of the Consejo Hotelero del Caribe Mexicano. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between the three levels of government and the private sector to achieve sustainable development that benefits both residents and visitors.

Following a meeting with Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, Secretary of Tourism; Mara Lezama, Governor of Quintana Roo; and Eugenio Segura, Senator and President of the Senate's Tourism Commission, among other authorities, Ortiz Mena explained that the meeting allowed them to present the challenges the destination faces. These challenges notably include access to the Jaguar Park and to the beaches in Tulum's coastal zone.

Ortiz Mena, who also serves as President of the Tulum Hotel Association, highlighted that the restrictions stemming from the Jaguar Park have exposed the lack of adequate access points in the coastal zone, a situation that reflects the lack of planning with which the destination originally developed.

“There are two access points, but they are not properly signposted nor do they have the basic infrastructure that should accompany them—bathrooms, parking, lighting, trash cans, showers, and security elements—all of which are indispensable for improving the destination's image and ensuring an orderly experience for the visitor,” he stated.

Ortiz Mena further elaborated on the situation along the seven-kilometer coastal zone. “In the seven kilometers of Tulum's coastal zone, the lack of adequate public access is evident. Perhaps the first step is to rehabilitate and equip the existing accesses with infrastructure. This infrastructure provides sustainability and security for the visitor, in addition to allowing the necessary surveillance to prevent and control informal vending in the coastal zone.”

He clarified that all beaches are public, regardless of whether concessions exist or if they are under the administration of a federal body, such as the Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP), which is the case with the Tulum National Park, now integrated into the Jaguar Park.

“The responsibility for providing and enabling public access points falls to the municipalities, in accordance with current regulations. The hotel sector can and should be an ally in this process, collaborating to rehabilitate existing accesses and, with adequate planning, establish those that are necessary, always guaranteeing respect for the environment and the visitor experience,” he pointed out.

Ortiz Mena underscored that Tulum requires more public beach access points, not only due to demand from residents and visitors but also for their utility in other tasks, such as sargassum removal.

“Now that this need has been brought to the table, we have the opportunity to create new, well-planned access points, with the necessary infrastructure and control to guarantee their sustainability and surveillance,” he emphasized.

He called on all those involved in the tourism sector to ensure the destination remains attractive and functional, with the infrastructure that visitors require. “Everyone in Tulum lives from tourism; that is why we must focus on improving the experience of those who choose us,” he expressed.

David Ortiz Mena noted that the domestic market is the second most important for the Mexican Caribbean, and certainly for Tulum, representing approximately 34 percent of the total visitors the region receives. During the first half of this year, domestic tourism showed a growth of 1.2 percent compared to 2024, reaffirming the relevance of the Mexican traveler for the stability and development of the region's destinations.

Finally, addressing assertions that Tulum has lost competitiveness, the president of the local Hotel Association clarified that the destination remains aspirational, with an image that many would wish to have, and with a broad and diverse offering.

“Tulum offers everything from hostels for 20 dollars to hotels ranked among the best in the world, and from accessible gastronomic options to restaurants with mentions in the Michelin Guide,” he explained.

He concluded that the debate over whether the destination is expensive or not depends on each visitor. The important point is that Tulum offers options for all tastes and budgets.