Quintana Roo — The vacation rental industry in Quintana Roo is developing internal policies and protocols to strengthen protections for children and adolescents in temporary accommodations.
José Manuel Lozano Álvarez, president of the Association of Vacation Rental Administrators, said the organization will recommend that members remain vigilant when adults arrive at properties accompanied by minors.
Tourism Law Reform Creates Verification Challenges
Recent amendments to Mexico’s General Tourism Law require responsible adults to prove kinship, guardianship, or custody when traveling with minors. However, Lozano Álvarez explained that in practice, there is no official mechanism to verify this information immediately or in real time with authorities.
“There is no place or system to do it. Even hotels have the obligation to report if there is any suspicion, but there is no platform to enter information,” he said.
No Official Platform for Data Validation
The industry representative emphasized that currently, there is no specific channel to report cases where doubts exist about the relationship between adults and minors, except when there is clear suspicion that warrants police notification.
This means responsibility falls directly on hosts and administrators, who must implement internal processes to comply with regulations.
Self-Regulation as Primary Tool
Lozano Álvarez indicated that, similar to traditional hotels, compliance with these provisions depends largely on self-imposed industry measures, as there are no specific inspections on this issue.
The recommendations aim to strengthen prevention without affecting guest experience or industry operations, particularly in Quintana Roo where digital platform accommodations are in high demand.
Child Protection and Crime Prevention
Mexico has pushed reforms to the General Tourism Law to protect children and adolescents, as well as combat crimes like human trafficking and child sex tourism.
In Quintana Roo, initiatives have been proposed for hosts and tourism service providers to validate minors’ parentage and report potential irregularities.
The reform requires service providers — including hotels, lodging centers, and digital platforms — to ask adults traveling with minors to prove kinship, guardianship, or custody. Otherwise, service can be denied and authorities must be notified.
These provisions aim to detect potential crimes preventively and safeguard the integrity of children and adolescents in the tourism sector.
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