Tulum Vacation Rentals in Unregulated Zones Pose Risk to Tourists

Tulum, Quintana Roo — The rapid growth of vacation rentals in Tulum, particularly those in remote or informally settled areas, is putting tourists at risk and straining public services, according to David Ortiz Mena, president of the Mexican Caribbean Hotel Council (CHCM) and head of the Tulum Hotels Association.

Ortiz Mena said the proliferation of platforms such as Airbnb has fueled real estate speculation and accelerated construction of developments that often lack the basic conditions to receive visitors. He warned that a single bad experience at one of these properties could tarnish the reputation of the entire destination.

Pressure on public services

Vacation guests need water, drainage, electricity, garbage collection and security, Ortiz Mena noted, and those services can become overwhelmed when rentals are located in areas without sufficient infrastructure. He also pointed to incomplete construction projects built on the expectation of vacation-rental income, which he said can later become security risks.

Regulation lags behind

The business leader said Quintana Roo’s regulations are behind those of other international destinations. He cited Spain, where mechanisms exist to register the identity of guests staying in such properties, and Paris, where a primary residence can be rented for a limited period while additional properties require specific permits and conditions.

By the numbers

According to the Quintana Roo Tourism Department (Sedetur), vacation rental platforms, particularly Airbnb, account for about 19% of the state’s total lodging supply. Ortiz Mena said Tulum has 4,295 active vacation rentals, while Cancún has 6,273 — despite Cancún having roughly four times Tulum’s hotel inventory. In Tulum, around 95% of listings are entire homes rather than private rooms.

He added that a significant portion of this supply sits in areas without adequate infrastructure, including some informal settlements.

Call for enforcement

Another challenge, Ortiz Mena said, is ensuring vacation rentals pay the Environmental Sanitation Fee (DSA). Although municipal law requires hosts and platform intermediaries to comply, he said stronger enforcement is needed to guarantee the fee is collected and remitted to authorities. The revenue goes toward sanitation and environmental programs that also benefit platform users.

The hotel sector does not seek to eliminate vacation rentals, Ortiz Mena said, but rather to create more effective regulation and similar operating conditions across all lodging models. The goal, he said, is to protect Tulum’s tourism image, ensure visitor safety and make sure the activity generates economic benefits through jobs and tax revenue.