Visits to Quintana Roo Archaeological Sites Drop Nearly 30%

Tourists walking near the ruins of Tulum archaeological site in Quintana Roo, Mexico

Cancun, Quintana Roo — Visitor numbers at the 13 archaeological sites open to the public in Quintana Roo continued to fall in the first half of 2026, with both domestic and international tourism declining.

In June, the sites received 77,156 visitors — 32,381 fewer than in the same month last year, when 109,537 people visited. The drop represents a decline of nearly 30%.

Tulum remains the state’s most visited archaeological site, accounting for 44.5% of all visits with 30,171 entries. However, it also recorded the largest drop, losing 21,631 visitors compared to June 2025.

Chacchoben ranked second with 17,716 visitors (25.9% of the state total), followed by Coba and San Gervasio, each with just over 6,000 visits. These figures were not enough to offset the overall decline in tourist activity.

Ichkabal, the much-anticipated new site in southern Quintana Roo, has also failed to take off. After years of negotiations to open it, the site received only 2,000 visitors in June — far below expectations.

Of the total visitors, 71% were international tourists (54,783 people), while domestic tourism was hit hardest. Mexican visitors fell from 41,547 in June 2025 to just 22,373 in the same period this year.

The negative trend was also seen in February, March, and May, with May being the worst month of the semester at just 75,803 visitors. The Quintana Roo Tourism Department (Sedetur) is betting that the summer vacation season will reverse the decline and help recover some of the lost tourist flow.

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By Laura Castillo

Laura Castillo covers tourism, business, and economic development across Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the wider Riviera Maya for Riviera Maya News & Events. She tracks the region's most important business stories — from hotel investments and airline route expansions to real estate market trends and local economic policy — helping English-speaking readers stay informed about the economic pulse of Mexico's Caribbean coast.Laura has been reporting on Quintana Roo's tourism sector since 2020, closely monitoring developments in Cancun's hotel zone, Tulum's rapidly growing commercial corridor, and the evolving business landscape in Playa del Carmen. Her coverage includes corporate investments, employment trends, infrastructure projects, and the economic impact of events like sargassum seasons and hurricane preparation.Before joining Riviera Maya News & Events, Laura worked in business development and market analysis in the Riviera Maya region, giving her first-hand insight into how tourism, real estate, and local commerce intersect. She is fluent in English and Spanish.For story tips: laura@rivieramayanews.mx