Yucatán’s Magical Towns May Lose Prestigious Status

Yucatán, Mexico — The seven "Pueblos Mágicos" (Magical Towns) of Yucatán must comply with new standards to retain their prestigious designation next year, according to an announcement by Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism during the 2025 Tianguis Turístico event in Rosarito, Baja California.

A total of 177 municipalities across Mexico hold the Magical Towns distinction and have until September 30 to submit updated documentation justifying their continued inclusion in the national registry.

New Requirements for Yucatán’s Magical Towns

As part of a comprehensive reassessment of the Magical Towns program, which has been in place since 2001, municipalities must meet mandatory guidelines or risk losing their title. The new requirements include:

• A Municipal Sustainable Tourism Development Plan, aligned with the UN’s 2030 Agenda.
• An Urban Image Regulation with color palettes approved by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in collaboration with Comex.
• Full registration of all service providers in the National Tourism Registry (RNT).

Consequences for Non-Compliance

The initiative is not intended to expel towns from the program but rather to encourage continuous improvement—unless a municipality voluntarily withdraws due to unwillingness to invest in meeting the new standards.

Starting in December 2025, towns will be classified into three categories:

• Triple A (proven excellence)
• Double A (requires adjustments)
• A (urgent transformation needed)

Towns in the lowest category will have until 2026 to implement improvements and will not be automatically removed.

Yucatán’s Magical Towns

Yucatán was the first state in the peninsula to receive a Magical Town designation, with Izamal recognized in 2002. Today, the state has seven such towns:

• Izamal
• Valladolid
• Sisal
• Maní
• Tekax
• Espita
• Motul (the latter three were named in 2023)

Magical Towns in the Yucatán Peninsula

• Quintana Roo has four Magical Towns: Tulum, Bacalar, Cozumel, and Isla Mujeres.
• Campeche has three: Palizada, Isla Aguada, and Candelaria.

The reassessment aims to elevate the quality and sustainability of these destinations while preserving their cultural and historical significance.