Vacation Rentals Outpace Hotels in Quintana Roo Occupancy

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Short-term vacation rentals outperformed traditional hotels in several of Quintana Roo’s leading tourist destinations, even as the state entered its lower season, according to data covering late September and early October.

The state recorded 310,741 visitors between September 26 and October 2, 2026, officials reported. A total of 1,255 flights arrived during the period — 647 international and 608 domestic.

Quintana Roo’s tourism inventory includes 140,760 hotel rooms across 1,481 establishments. Benito Juárez, home to Cancún, and Playa del Carmen are the main lodging hubs, together accounting for roughly 68 percent of the state’s available rooms.

Rentals Report Higher Occupancy

The statewide hotel occupancy average stood at 46.9 percent, with Costa Mujeres at 55.1 percent and Cancún at 52.8 percent. Short-term rentals, however, posted stronger results in several key destinations.

According to the Quintana Roo Tourism Information System, Playa del Carmen reached 58 percent occupancy across more than 7,000 available properties, while Cancún hit 55 percent with more than 6,000 listings. Isla Mujeres and Cozumel each recorded 53 percent.

Statewide, the platform counted 22,238 active properties, with an average rate of 2,468.7 pesos per night and stays averaging 4.3 days.

The shift points to growing demand among visitors seeking alternatives to traditional hotels, with more independence and longer stays. The trend also generates economic activity across urban and tourist areas throughout the state.