Tulum Faces Budget Deficit as Tourism Slump Slashes Revenue

Tulum, Quintana Roo — The municipal government of Tulum is scrambling to find new sources of income after a steep decline in tourism left the town with a financial shortfall, its secretary general said.

Jhonny Monsreal said municipal departments are working on strategies to raise revenue and meet their obligations through the end of the year. He acknowledged that the resort town has had an unusual year, marked by fewer visitors and weaker income.

“There really is no income because there is no tourism, but we are looking for the best strategies to close out the year well and not hurt anyone,” Monsreal said.

He said officials have set up working groups with the planning, tourism and economic development departments to review how the year has unfolded and decide on a course of action. Each department will present its own proposal, with priority given to security, he added.

The exact size of the deficit is still unknown, Monsreal said, because officials need to review figures from the first months of the year, when the crisis was at its worst, through recent months that have shown a slight recovery.

He said the return of tourists is a positive sign that the town can finish the year on stronger footing.

Municipal officials are also meeting with local business owners to improve service for visitors and guarantee their safety, Monsreal said. He said no proposal to take out short-term loans or request an advance on state revenue-sharing funds has come up in the working groups so far.