How to beat the holiday blues in Mexico
My first Christmas in Mexico was just terrible.
Instead of staying with my host family like I should have done, I accepted an invitation to spend Christmas with my then-boyfriend and his family. He was from Coatzacoalcos, a city in Veracruz that can best be described as the opposite of a postcard. That was my first mistake.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, it didn’t occur to me that it might be too different an experience in Mexico. My first hint came with the discussion of Christmas dinner. My boyfriend’s family was not planning to cook, but rather to order food from a restaurant. I thought it was a little strange, but I wouldn’t dare begrudge someone resistance to cooking a big meal.
The worst Christmas ever
Now I know ordering Christmas dinner is pretty common. That’s fine. I was also amused that the family really wanted spaghetti at the meal. Like, it was super important to them (spaghetti and Jell-O: two foods that you eat when you need something as basic and cheap as can be in the U.S., but party food here).
The real surprise came, though, when I realized that we were not only eating very late, but that we’d be going out to a nightclub afterwards. Oh my!
Mistake No. 1 was wearing heels that were high and sexy but very uncomfortable.
Mistake No. 2 was assuming we’d dance for like an hour and go home.
As it turned out, we stayed at this club all night and went home around 7 a.m. as the sun was rising Christmas morning. I had not impressed anyone by whining and eventually sleeping on the hard bench of a table (spoiler alert — we didn’t make it), but I didn’t care. I’ve got the circadian rhythm of a hen, and being forced to stay up all night is basically torture for me.
When I talked to my mom midday on Christmas, I struggled to keep my voice cheerful so she wouldn’t worry. But really, it was the worst Christmas ever.
Why do I regale you with this story, dear readers?
Well, the holidays are upon us. And even though I’ve had no repeats of that first Christmas here — thank goodness! — it is a day that always makes me feel a little out of place, even after all these years.
There are strategies I’ve come up with over the years, though, to make it more special and less homesickness-inducing. Let’s have a look!
Tips for beating the holiday blues in Mexico
Learn all you can about how things are celebrated here! Some traditions, like la rama in Veracruz, are very localized. Others, like the traditional Posada, are more widespread. Children and adults alike enjoy participating in pastorelas, a kind of funny Christmas play that’s a little different each time. There are devils!
But there are plenty of overlaps too: Christmas trees, lights, poinsettias — did you know they’re Mexican? You might hear some familiar Christmas carols in Spanish, and find Santa at the mall if you’re lucky! The more you can find, and sometimes create, crossover, the happier time you’ll have!
Remember that the culture of gift-giving here is different. In the U.S., families go pretty overboard with presents. Here in Mexico, most people don’t. Presents are mostly for the kids, and are primarily given on Three Kings Day (January 6th). While adults do sometimes give each other presents, the expectation isn’t as ingrained here as it is up north. If you want to do a gift exchange, propose one!
Hang out with other people from your culture, if you can find them. Normally, I’d say, “No, what you need to be doing is hanging out with Mexicans!” And this is true, you should do that. But for especially familial holidays, it can be hard if you’re here without a family. Next best thing? People who are from your own culture. You don’t have to be best friends or anything, but maybe plan a nice Christmas outing or something. Next Saturday (which might be the Saturday this is published), I’m hosting a Christmas get-together with our “desayuno de extranjeros” group!
Keep some of your own traditions alive, and invite others to participate! For me, that’s cookie-making and watching the Mikhail Baryshnikov version of The Nutcracker ballet (it’s on YouTube!). This year, we invited my kid’s two besties and their moms to join us. This made it both a new and old activity, and very fun!
Do a little decorating. You don’t have to go all out. If you’re not up for a tree and all its trimmings, fine. But a poinsettia point or two can just make things look so bright and festive, and you can find them everywhere around this time.
For me personally, I like decorating for Christmas almost better than Christmas Day itself. It’s especially been nice since I hauled a lot of the Christmas ornaments on the tree when I was a kid down here. Those ornaments from the 1980s, my grandmother’s little nativity scene … it’s the little things!
More good tips
Go to Christmas events! Depending on where you live, there are probably some good Christmas spectacles to be had. In bigger cities, you might be able to go see “The Nutcracker” or go to Christmas concerts. If you look on Facebook and search for city name + cartelera (basically event announcements), you’ll likely find some fun options. Invite someone to go with you!
Give aguinaldos, the holiday bonus, to anyone who works for you. It will be much appreciated. I like to throw in some fancy chocolates, too!
This last one might seem silly, but I love it: make a playlist! Put on your favorite Christmas carols, and mix them with some Mexican holiday songs as well. It’s a good way to transform homesickness to excitement for your new home.
The holidays aren’t always easy, but especially with some community — the key to everything, really — they can be made very special.
Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.
The man who saved Tijuana
By all accounts, 2008 and 2009 were very bad years for Tijuana. Drugs, street crime, extortion and kidnapping were rampant. The long-dominant Arellano-Felix cartel, which had controlled crime in Tijuana, was challenged by the Sinaloa Cartel and the New Generation Cartel, which began fighting and killing each other. Terror gripped many parts of the city. In 2008 alone, 844 Tijuanenses had been murdered, up from 337 the year before.
The members of the business community became prime prospects for the sale of armored vehicles and hired bodyguards that protected their homes, offices and even guarded them when they went to restaurants. Tijuana’s restaurants, which had long been popular for business lunches, were still popular during the day, but few ventured out in the evening. Many families that could afford to do so bought homes across the border in San Diego and Chula Vista. Many have never returned.
Tijuana’s teenagers, adults today, remember when almost all social events — parties, dances and dates were put on hold. Some didn’t go to school at all, while others were enrolled in private academies in San Diego.
Tourism and healthcare businesses that catered to cross-border visitors were severely hurt.
Tijuana’s reputation was so bad that when Tijuanenses traveled abroad, they said they were from “Mexico” or “near San Diego.” Some civic leaders even considered changing the name of the city.
José Galicot and the revival of Tijuana
But by 2010, things began to change rapidly. How the bad times ended was and still is controversial. Mayor Jorge Ramos and his successor, newly elected Mayor Carlos Bustamente, were credited by some. Others point to the Mexican Army, which worked with civic leaders, police and state prosecutors to effect change in the police force and courts.
Nevertheless, the city’s reputation was ruined. Tijuana had a name in the world that was associated with crime and cartels. Locally, citizens had no pride in their hometown. Then one man, business leader José Galicot, worked to change it with one startling and high-profile event — Tijuana Innovadora.
In 2010, Tijuana Innovadora launched its efforts to earn the trust and respect of key sectors of the community, including local, state and federal government, the private sector, national and regional media, business professionals, civil society, students and residents of the community. A tall order for a city whose reputation was so severely damaged.
José Galicot envisioned an exhibition so positive that it could change the image of the community. First, he booked the iconic Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT), the only structure of the federal Secretariat of Culture in the country outside Mexico City. Then, to fund the project, he made a list of the 50 largest companies in Tijuana, hoping to get a positive response from at least 20.
The birth of Tijuana Innovadora
Instead, much to Galicot’s delight, all 50 agreed to help fund the project and to exhibit at CECUT. These included Toyota, Welch Allyn, Kyocera, Plantronics (now Poly), Medtronic, Samsung, Honeywell, Foxconn and Bose.
High-level speakers were engaged, including President Felipe Calderón, entrepreneur Carlos Slim, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, broadcaster Larry King, Qualcomm’s CEO Paul Jacobs, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and Tetsuo Agata, an executive of Toyota … among others. Manufacturing in North America was a theme highlighting the city’s achievements in technology, science and culture. English to Spanish translation aided in communications during all sessions.
Attendance at the conference was 750,000 during its 14-day run time. Parents from all over the city brought their children to see the exhibits of companies where they worked. This instilled in the children pride in Tijuana that had not been there previously.
Tijuana Innovadora has continued on a bi-annual basis since its 2010 inauguration. In addition, it has spawned many other projects, including Art in Industry, Leadership Development, House of Ideas, InnovaModa (fashion and design focused), Paseo de la Fama (honoring bi-national leadership), Tijuana Verde (Green City), Comuna Creativa (Creative City) and Fablab (Digital Fabrication Laboratory).
A renewed sense of pride
From the concept of José Galicot in 2009 to improve the image and develop pride in Tijuana, Tijuana Innovadora today has worked hard to reverse regional migration as more San Diegans learn to call Tijuana home. They help to cultivate pride in the city and to offer creative outlets for its youth.
Major universities such as Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior (CETYS) and El Colegio de la Frontera Norte (COLEF) attract students from both sides of the border.
Spurred by Tijuana Innovadora, the city today is home to 26,545 companies from 83 countries, including the U.S., with 348 companies, Spain with 53 companies, Japan with 53 companies and the United Kingdom with 27.
A thriving city of more than two million people, Tijuana is an industrial and cultural powerhouse. Perhaps, more importantly, residents are proud of their city.
James Clark writes for Mexico News Daily.
The history of Cancún: How Mexico built a paradise from scratch
Mexico. Where Pueblos Mágicos unfold across mountainous landscapes. Where city sprawls stretch 25 miles from east to west. Where rainbow-colored fisherman villages dot coastlines, Cortés-era haciendas ring ancient Maya ruins, and spiky agave plants scratch the Jaliscan sky. In a country that practically explodes with culture, how is it that Cancún became the first most-visited beach destination in Mexico, and the second-most visited destination in the country overall?
In short, it was built that way.
A resort born from computer calculations
Cancún’s history is remarkably short. Unlike Mérida or Puebla, it didn’t spring from an ancient village. In fact, the city didn’t exist until the federal government and Banco de México decided to develop it in 1969. A development team targeted an existing sandbar off the tip of the Yucatán peninsula — then home to only a few small settlements, jungle and mangroves — using advanced computer technology and geographic research. They evaluated specific criteria, including climate, beach quality, hurricane risk, workforce and distance to the U.S. market, determining that this would be the perfect place to create a vacation hub.
The goal was ambitious: build a desirable, accessible destination that would rival other Caribbean spots and Miami while generating millions of tourist dollars. The economic dream of creating a flashy beach resort flanked by turquoise Caribbean waters and lush jungle would come to fruition — no matter the cost.
INFRATUR and the land grab
The timing was strategic. In the late 1960s, Acapulco was the crown jewel of Mexico’s coastline and a favorite getaway for Mexican and Hollywood elites. However, it was nearing the end of its golden age when overcrowding and pollution began to dull its glamour. The country desperately needed an alternative destination to replace the Pacific paradise while also attracting northern neighbors.
Banco de México established INFRATUR, a tourism-infrastructure trust designed to finance large-scale tourism projects. The trust moved swiftly, quietly purchasing over 12,000 hectares of coastline to lease in parcels to investors and hotel developers. The area would be divided between the tourist zone, the lagoon system, conservation land and urban area.
Not everyone welcomed this blueprint. As whispers about the project reached local landowners and speculators, a scramble erupted to capture land or inflate its value before the bank claimed it. It didn’t matter. Construction began in 1970 anyway, backed by federal funds and financing from lenders like the Inter-American Development Bank. Within a few years, the project consumed around one-fifth of Mexico’s federal tourism investment, a clear signal of its political focus.
Breaking ground in paradise
The sandbar was priority number one, but it could only be accessed by boat – hardly feasible for transporting the abundance of materials and manpower needed. Engineers solved this by building a road from Puerto Juárez, along with a provisional airstrip. Large-scale dredging removed mangroves and opened access between the lagoon system and the sea.
The project evolved in 1974 when the newest iteration of the fund, FONATUR (Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo), took control and introduced a three-phase strategy: Phase 1 focused on the hotel zone; Phase 2 emphasized the mainland urban area for employees; Phase 3 involved the international airport and infrastructure to establish Cancún as a major destination.
FONATUR wielded unprecedented control, acting as landlord, developer and gatekeeper over all movement within the emerging city. This power allowed the fund to manipulate land distribution through negotiated deals and exclusive invitations. Consequently, a relatively small circle of large hotel chains, Mexican business groups and foreign partners secured the best-served, highest-value sites along the hotel zone.
The price of paradise
This selective development strategy came with significant costs, both social and environmental. The cherry-picking of investors sparked unrest among the expanding population of workers and informal settlers who found themselves excluded from the best areas, even as they built — and eventually staffed — the new resort destination. Many ended up in rapidly expanding inland neighborhoods with precarious housing and limited access to drinking water, drainage and even public transport, far from the polished image in Cancun’s advertisements.
Environmental consequences proved equally severe. Researchers documented how Cancún’s tourism boom led to pollution and erosion affecting Nichupté Lagoon, beaches and coastal ecosystems, necessitating almost-constant artificial beach replenishment. Damage to the surrounding aquifer resulted in contaminated waters and increased flood risk that disproportionately affected low-income neighborhoods. The dramatic loss of mangrove cover left the city vulnerable to dangerous storm surge and coastal flooding.
From first lobbies to spring break legends
Despite these growing pains, the resort took shape. When construction finally moved from survey stakes to actual hotels, the first wave of properties felt almost like a private club in the jungle. Government backing helped finance early hotel-zone projects, including high-profile names like the Hyatt Cancún Caribe and the Camino Real, alongside one of the earliest properties on the strip, the then-modest Playa Blanca (now living its provocative era as Temptation Cancun Resort).
This intimate resort experiment didn’t last long. By the 1980s and 1990s, Cancún had exploded into a full-blown spectacle: neon-lit discos, mega-clubs with laser shows and all-night parties that crowned it as a spring break capital. Venues like Coco Bongo mixed Vegas-style shows with thumping dance floors, turning a night out into the kind of over-the-top performance tourists bragged about for years.
The shadow city
While the hotel zone partied, Cancún, the city, grew in its shadow, essentially serving as a mainland hub for workers and services. INFRATUR and later FONATUR planned a gridded urban core and early residential areas to house government employees and tourism workers. However, migration quickly outpaced planning, and by the 1980s, thousands of people from other parts of Mexico had already arrived looking to capitalize on extensive job opportunities.
The municipality of Benito Juárez became one of the country’s fastest-growing urban areas and now houses nearly one million residents. This accelerated growth consistently outstripped infrastructure development, creating persistent issues with traffic, garbage collection and drainage that continue to plague the city today.
The modern challenge
Today, Cancún’s wild-child reputation endures, but in moderation, and Quintana Roo now boasts more than 130,000 hotel rooms. Current initiatives include new governance structures and major infrastructure projects like the Nichupté vehicular bridge — an 8-11 kilometer elevated road directly linking downtown Cancún to the hotel zone.
While promoted as essential for managing visitor loads and providing hurricane evacuation routes, environmental groups and court challenges question whether a massive bridge through a protected lagoon can ever be truly low-impact. It represents yet another battleground where the costs of “connecting” Cancún’s next growth phase are fiercely debated.
From computer calculations on a sandbar to a sprawling resort empire, Cancún stands as both triumph and cautionary tale — a testament to what can be built when governments dream big, and a reminder that paradise always comes with a price.
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog or follow her on Instagram.
Mexico’s week in review: Energy expansion and economic gains
The week of Dec. 15-19 saw Mexico navigating complex regional tensions while making strides in energy infrastructure and economic positioning.
As the Mexican peso reached its strongest exchange rate in months, the administration also faced criticism over the Maya Train’s mounting losses and a viral congressional brawl motivated by dissent from the ruling party’s actions.
From offers of mediation with Venezuela to trade talks with India and Canada, Mexico demonstrated both pragmatic diplomacy and strategic economic planning as it approaches the crucial USMCA review year.
Didn’t have time to follow this week’s top stories? Here’s what you missed.
Venezuela tensions and regional diplomacy
President Sheinbaum positioned Mexico as a potential mediator between the United States and Venezuela as tensions between the two nations escalated dramatically.
The diplomatic crisis intensified after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela on Tuesday, while declaring the Venezuelan regime a foreign terrorist organization and surrounding the country with what he called the largest armada ever assembled in South American history.
At her Wednesday morning press conference, Sheinbaum reiterated Mexico’s constitutional position of non-intervention and opposition to foreign interference, emphasizing peaceful conflict resolution and self-determination of peoples. She called on the United Nations to assume its role in preventing bloodshed, asserting the international body had not been sufficiently visible amid the crisis.
🚨 Sheinbaum responde a Trump por bloqueo a Venezuela
Luego de que el presidente de EUA, @realDonaldTrump, ordenó el bloqueo “total y completo” de todos los buques petroleros que entren o salgan de Venezuela, la presidenta @Claudiashein se pronunció y señaló que la posición de… pic.twitter.com/Tp5qAzHECe
— Político MX (@politicomx) December 17, 2025
Sheinbaum later suggested Mexico could serve as a negotiation or meeting point for talks between the U.S. and Venezuela if both parties were interested in dialogue, or help seek other mediators to avoid regional conflict. The Venezuelan government called Trump’s blockade announcement a grotesque threat, with President Nicolás Maduro vowing to defend Venezuela’s sovereignty over its oil, gas and mineral wealth.
Energy infrastructure push
The Mexican government unveiled ambitious plans to transform the nation’s power grid through a combination of public and private investment totaling nearly $9 billion.
Energy Minister Luz Elena González announced Wednesday that 20 renewable energy projects proposed by private companies had been rapidly approved, representing $4.75 billion in investment and adding 3,320 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity across 11 states.
The 20 projects, selected from 98 proposals submitted in response to the Energy Ministry’s October call, include 15 solar power plants and five wind farms to be built in Campeche, Hidalgo, Yucatán, Guanajuato, Oaxaca, Tamaulipas, Quintana Roo, Puebla, Veracruz, Zacatecas and Querétaro.
The government plans to issue a second call for proposals in January to reach the targeted 6,000 additional megawatts of generation capacity. Meanwhile, the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) announced $4.32 billion in investment for five new combined cycle power plants in Tula, Salamanca, Altamira, Mazatlán and Los Cabos, along with $710 million for expanding the Puerto Peñasco solar plant to become Latin America’s largest at 1,000 MW capacity.
Trade developments
India seeks FTA with Mexico
Facing steep new Mexican tariffs that could hit $2 billion worth of Indian exports, India accelerated efforts to negotiate a free trade agreement with Mexico. The tariffs, which could reach as high as 50% and take effect Jan. 1, target countries without free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
India’s trade secretary Rajesh Agrawal announced Monday that preliminary technical discussions had begun following an online meeting with Mexico’s deputy minister this month. The new duties are expected to particularly impact India’s automotive sector, which exports around $1 billion worth of vehicles annually to Mexico, its third-largest car export market, with import duties on cars climbing from 20% to 50%.
Last year, India exported $5.73 billion of goods to Mexico while importing $3.01 billion, with key exports including vehicles, base metals, auto parts and textiles. Mexican officials have defended the tariffs as necessary to protect domestic industry and reduce trade imbalances rather than as a political measure.
Canada plans its largest trade mission yet
Canada announced it will send its largest-ever trade mission to Mexico in February 2026, with stops in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara.
Ambassador Cameron Mackay told Canadian media that hundreds of Canadian businesses have applied to join the mission, which will be led by Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
The Feb. 15-20 mission will focus on opportunities in agriculture, advanced manufacturing, information communications technology, clean energy and creative industries. Two-way trade between Mexico and Canada reached nearly $41 billion in 2024, up from less than $5 billion before NAFTA took effect in 1994. Canada ranked as the fourth-largest foreign investor in Mexico in 2024 behind the United States, Japan and Germany.
Water agreements ease cross-border tensions
Two significant water-related agreements helped defuse tensions between Mexico and the United States this week.
After Trump threatened a 5% tariff on Mexican imports over unmet water delivery obligations, Mexico and the U.S. reached an understanding on Friday on water management under the 1944 Water Treaty. Mexico committed to releasing 202,000 acre-feet of water starting this week, with deliveries extending into 2026 rather than meeting Trump’s year-end deadline.
The agreement addresses Mexico’s water deficit from the 2020-25 treaty cycle, when the country delivered only about 50% of the required 1.75 million acre-feet due to severe drought conditions. President Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico isn’t delivering more than treaty requirements and that transfers won’t adversely affect domestic water availability. Both countries agreed to continue negotiations and finalize a plan for repaying the outstanding deficit by January 31, 2026.
Separately, Mexico and the U.S. signed Minute No. 333 on Monday, addressing the decades-long sewage crisis affecting San Diego and Tijuana.
The accord calls for $93 million in improvements to Tijuana’s sewage system, including doubled treatment capacity, a new ocean outfall, sediment capture basins and a water infrastructure master plan. EPA officials emphasized the improvements would not cost U.S. taxpayers, though a cost-sharing formula will apply to river cleaning operations.
The peso strengthens
The Mexican peso reached its strongest position since July 2024, trading below 18 to the US dollar on Monday morning. The currency closed the week around 17.99 per dollar, marking an approximately 16% appreciation in 2025 after ending 2024 at 20.88 to the dollar.
Analysts attributed the peso’s strength to the continued decline of the U.S. dollar on international markets and the resolution of tensions with the United States over water disputes. Other factors supporting the peso include the Bank of Mexico’s still-high benchmark interest rate, despite 11 consecutive cuts bringing it to 7.25%, and strong foreign investment inflows.
On Wednesday, Banxico announced a 50 basis point cut to 7%, citing weak economic activity despite rising inflation.
Central bank cuts interest rate to 7% citing weak economic activity
Other news to know
- Middle class surpasses poverty: For the first time in Mexican history, more citizens are categorized as middle class than living in poverty, according to government data based on World Bank findings. The middle class — defined by WB as people with daily incomes above US $17 (around 340 pesos) — grew from 27.2% of the population in 2018 to 39.6% in 2024, while poverty declined from 35.5% to 21.7% during the same period.
- Brawl erupts in Mexico City Congress: Physical confrontation broke out Monday between lawmakers during a debate over disbanding the Mexico City Transparency Institute. The melee, involving hair-pulling and minor blows between female deputies from the PAN and Morena parties, went viral on social media after PAN lawmakers invaded the congressional dais to protest changes to an agreed-upon replacement structure that would give the Morena party greater authority.
- Maya Train marks first anniversary amid losses: One year after becoming fully operational, the Maya Train generated revenue covering just 12.6% of its operating expenses during the first nine months of 2025. Experts predict the train will need government support for 10 to 20 years before becoming profitable, potentially costing nearly $1.4 billion over the next decade. Freight operations, key to financial viability, are not expected to begin until late 2026 or 2027.
- Volaris and Viva plan merger: Mexico’s two major low-cost airlines announced Thursday plans to merge under a single holding company while maintaining separate brands and operations. The combination would control more than 70% of Mexico’s domestic air travel market, with Viva holding 38% and Volaris 33%. The merger, structured as a 50-50 partnership, is subject to regulatory approval and expected to be finalized in 2026. The new airline group would operate a combined fleet of 211 aircraft, significantly outnumbering flagship carrier Aeroméxico’s 161 planes.
Looking ahead
At her Friday morning press conference, President Sheinbaum outlined her administration’s 2026 priorities while expressing optimism about upcoming challenges.
She identified public investment as a key driver of economic growth, alongside continued focus on security improvements, social and human rights, education, healthcare, housing and welfare programs.
On trade matters, Sheinbaum clarified that the USMCA will undergo a “review” next year rather than a full renegotiation, declaring herself “very optimistic” despite Trump’s numerous tariff impositions. She noted that U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer recently acknowledged the agreement’s overall benefits.
Regarding Mexico’s new tariffs on imports from China, India and other non-FTA countries, Sheinbaum indicated openness to dialogue but suggested significant modifications are unlikely, as the tariffs serve Plan México’s goals of reducing import dependence and creating 1.5 million new jobs.
Mexico News Daily
This story contains summaries of original Mexico News Daily articles. The summaries were generated by Claude, then revised and fact-checked by a Mexico News Daily staff editor.
Social media herd mentality, Tulum edition: A perspective from our CEO
I frequently find myself writing about Tulum. Here are a few of my recent articles:
- Can Tulum get its groove back?
- Our CEO takes a tour of the Tulum airport
- Why the Tulum airport is inspiring for Mexico’s future
- Investment keeps flooding into Tulum: Is this good or bad?
I think it makes a fascinating case study to observe and learn from on so many levels. In many ways, Tulum provides us insights into the perils and pitfalls of herd mentality and group thinking that is so prevalent on social media today. Allow me to explain.
I have been going every year to Tulum now for 25 years. That much consistency, over that long of a time period, makes me sound old — but also makes me a pretty good authority on the place. Over these 25 years, I have witnessed multiple distinct phases that I will simplify as follows:
- Phase I – Very few people knew about Tulum other than hippies and the locals that lived there.
- Phase II – In addition to hippies, European backpackers and yogis started going.
- Phase III – As more Europeans went, U.S. and Mexican hipsters started going.
- Phase IV – As more U.S. and Mexican hipsters went, lots of tech bros, models and hipsters worldwide started going (peak Tuluminati).
- Phase V – Lots more not-so-hip Americans and Mexicans started going.
- Phase VI – Tech bros, models and hipsters stopped going.
- Phase VII – Many Americans and Mexicans stopped going.
And so here we are, now in the still-being-defined Phase VIII, in which the vast majority of those that at one point hyped up Tulum as the “it place” are now no longer going there and many others are intensely criticizing it.
What’s striking to me is how predictable this pattern has become — I’ve seen it with San Miguel de Allende, Puerto Escondido and now Tulum. The algorithm-driven narrative always follows the same arc: discovery, hype, oversaturation, backlash. Each phase being driven not by on-the-ground reality, but by whatever generated the most engagement — views and clicks.
So now what? Where does Tulum go from here? Last week I spent a week there to check firsthand, get my own sense for where things are going, and explore the trustworthiness of the “Tulum now sucks” narrative that has become so prevalent on social media. I just couldn’t take another person confidently telling me that they had heard Tulum is now ruined. Rather than relying on viral TikToks, Instagram reels or confidently wrong tourists, I wanted to see first hand what the economic indicators, infrastructure development and actual resident experiences would tell me.
Here are some of the key observations from my trip:
1. A few days before I got there, a massive fancy new La Comer grocery store opened in town. This is in addition to the huge new Soriana Hiper and Bodega Aurrera supermarkets that opened last year. Just two years ago, the Chedraui store in town nearly doubled in size and became a Super-Chedraui. Next year, both a Walmart and a new shopping mall will open in town. This is all of course in addition to the recently opened Tulum International Airport and Maya Train which has a stop both in town and at the airport.
2. Tulum is most definitely hurting from a significant decline in the number of tourists, especially during the summer and fall months of this year. Many businesses have shut down and closed, significant numbers of people have lost their jobs and countless new construction projects have been halted. That being said, there were still signs of life everywhere with many new construction projects still continuing.
3. Tourist friendly policies are returning. The AMLO administration created Jaguar National Park, which for a short period of time was charging an eye-popping 500 pesos per person entrance fee, has changed its policies. The park is now free to walk in (driving in costs 60 pesos per person if you are Mexican or a resident). The staff treats you well and smiles when you arrive. Parking within the park is free. The restaurants and beach clubs in the park don’t charge a minimum consumption fee (and proudly tell you so).
Tourism Ministry reverses Tulum mayor’s restrictions, re-opens free beach access
4. Prices are coming back down to earth in many establishments (but not all). The cost of parking is down by half or more in many places. Minimum consumption fees at non-park beach clubs are down significantly. Restaurant prices in some areas are even down. Places seem to actually want your business versus before when entry seemingly was often based on good looks and connections.
5. “Normal human beings” are returning to the beach. Families, retirees and locals of all economic classes are using it again. I saw local boys playing beach soccer, local girls playing beach volleyball, people practicing yoga and local couples making out at sunset — all the kind of normal signs of life that I hadn’t seen in years.
6. The beach vibe is becoming more Mexican again. Gone are the “Zimbabwe tiger prawns,” “Alaskan king crab legs” and “Australian beef” dishes of US $100 or more that I used to see on menus. An increasing number of restaurants are again serving local Mexican food: tacos, guacamole, fresh local fish. Gone are many of the snooty model-like waitresses from around the world — back are smiling, friendly local staff. Gone are many of the techno and dance music DJ scenes, back are places playing Caribbean or Mexican music — both live and streamed.
On our last evening, I was getting gas at a local station and found myself talking to a young woman named Veronica who was filling our tank. She had moved from rural Chiapas to Tulum three years ago. I asked her how she was doing.
“It’s been hard on all of us,” she said. “We are really hoping for a strong January.” I asked her how her family has been coping with the downturn, and she said “we have had enough to eat, so we have all been ok.” She seemed embarrassed, ashamed as she said it. That was hard to see. I couldn’t help thinking about how she had picked up and moved from her quiet hometown with the idea of living a better life in Tulum. Now that she is here, going back is no longer an easy option.
Social media is often far too quick to lift up a place (or a person, or a brand), only to then quickly pivot and move on. And far too often, the goal is to get more views, more clicks and more ad revenue. It’s more important than ever for us to keep this in mind, as there are real people that are impacted by the lifting up and tearing down of places by social media. People like Veronica and her family that followed the dream of a better life to Tulum. People like Veronica who have seen their dream taken away by social media influencers wanting to now divert clicks to the next location that they have “discovered” or by others who benefit from the narrative that “Tulum now sucks.” The social media influencer quickly moves on, but Veronica and her family cannot.
As we left Tulum, I said to my wife, “How ironic is it that when Tulum was amazing, hardly anyone knew about it. Then, when Tulum became too crowded, too expensive and too full of itself, the world raved about how amazing of a place that it had become. Now that Tulum is in many ways returning to its beautiful, magical old self again, it is being called terrible by the next wave of social media influencers looking for clicks.”
Ironic indeed. And a very good reminder to get informed by reliable sources and get out and discover places for yourself versus letting some social media influencer tell you where to go and what to do. As a yoga teacher friend of ours, Mariana, who has lived in the area for over a decade said to us with a smile on our last morning: “I have no doubt that Tulum is coming back — it is too special of a place not to.”
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.
With government support, 20,000 US-based Mexicans caravan home for the holidays
A group of 20,000 migrants traveling in nearly 4,000 vehicles crossed into Mexico from Texas this week as they returned to spend the year-end holidays with their families.
The massive caravans are assisted by the government-sponsored program “Mexico embraces you” (“México te abraza”), which is managed by the National Migration Institute (INM).
🇲🇽🛻Migrantes mexicanos viajan en caravana de regreso a su país para pasar las fiestas decembrinas con sus seres queridos.
El gobierno de Claudia Sheinbaum ha implementado protocolos para que sus paisanos viajen seguros y sin contratiempos. pic.twitter.com/1jBzUbvXKI
— Noticias EstrellaTV (@NEstrellaTv) December 19, 2025
State authorities from Quéretaro and Hidalgo are also cooperating as the large majority of the returning migrants hail from the Bajío region in west-central Mexico.
Omar Álvarez, the director of INM’s Migrant Protection and Liaison agency, said the operation is designed to provide permanent support for the migrants from the time they cross the border until they reach home.
The INM program involves the cooperation of the National Guard, state police, municipal authorities and representatives in each state en route. There are also designated telephone support lines available to the caravans.
“The most important thing is safety,” Patricia Hernández, director of Migrant Services in Querétaro, told the newspaper N+, adding that the priority is to accompany them “until we’re sure that each and every one of our fellow citizens arrives safely with their families.”
The “Mexico te abraza” plan has been well received by the migrants themselves. Jorge Chávez told La Jornada newspaper that the operation seems “much more organized” than in previous years.
“The presence of the authorities is noticeable and that makes us feel very safe; it’s truly a welcome,” he said.
Gloria Guadalupe Olvera, traveling from Houston to Río Verde, San Luis Potosí, said she has been making the trip back home for a decade.
“Thanks to the program, I feel safe enough to travel alone,” she said. “If this operation didn’t exist, I wouldn’t come.”
The INM’s Álvarez said 3,700 vehicles crossed into Nuevo Laredo by Wednesday and that a total of 80,000 vehicles are expected to participate in the caravan program which began on Nov. 28 and will be active through Jan. 8.
There has been some cause for concern at the border crossing sites, however.
Mexican authorities have urged returning migrants to be informed, given the increase in immigration checks at U.S.-Mexico border crossings.
The mayor of Río Verde, San Luis Potosí, said a caravan of vehicles headed for that state had experienced some difficulties when U.S. immigration officials carried out inspections at the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo border crossing.
“Coordination with Mexican agencies and consulates allowed all vehicles in the San Luis Potosí caravan to cross without incident,” Mayor Arnulfo Urbiola told N+. “I don’t know if compatriots from other municipalities were affected, but all our people got through.”
The federal government has designated three seasons for caravan protection — Holy Week, summer and winter — with the year-end caravan involving the highest number of compatriots.
With reports from La Jornada and N+
Sheinbaum previews her 2026 priorities: Friday’s mañanera recapped
Trade was a key focus of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Friday morning press conference.
Sheinbaum spoke about Mexico’s recently-approved tariffs as well as the USMCA review, which will take place next year.
At the end of the mañanera, the president was asked whether she partakes in the “twelve grapes” ritual, a tradition in which people eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1.
Sheinbaum: With tariffs, government doesn’t want to cause inflation or production problems
During her Q&A session with reporters, Sheinbaum stressed that her government doesn’t want to “cause inflation” as a result of the implementation of tariffs on imports from countries with which Mexico doesn’t have trade agreements.
Approved by Congress this month, new and higher tariffs up to 50% on imports from various countries including China, India, South Korea, Indonesia, South Africa and Brazil will take effect on Jan. 1.
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard estimated on Monday that the tariffs would only add 0.2 percentage points to Mexico’s inflation rate.
Sheinbaum also said that her government doesn’t want to cause problems for manufacturers that rely on inputs from countries with which Mexico doesn’t have free trade agreements.
In that context, Ebrard said last week that Mexico is mainly targeting “finished goods” with the new tariffs, rather than intermediate goods, which he noted are needed to “produce, assemble and export.”
On Friday morning, Sheinbaum noted that that the tariff bill she submitted to Congress in September was significantly modified by Congress after consultation with stakeholders, including manufacturers.
She said that her government “completely agreed” with the changes — i.e. a lowering of many of the tariffs that were originally proposed.
Sheinbaum noted that the Economy Ministry (SE) has the authority “within the framework of the law” to make further reductions to the tariffs if deemed necessary.
In other words, if the new tariffs are having an outsized impact on inflation, or on manufacturers, they could be altered by the SE.
Congress approves new tariffs on goods from China and non-FTA countries
Mexico discussing tariffs with China, India and South Korea
Sheinbaum said that Mexico, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Economy Ministry, is discussing the soon-to-be enacted tariffs with China, India and South Korea.
Representatives of the Chinese, Indian and South Korean governments have all made public remarks about the tariffs as they seek to get a better deal for their exports to Mexico.
Asked whether Mexico would seek trade agreements with those countries, Sheinbaum responded:
“Well, I don’t know if … [there will be] a treaty, a trade agreement, some kind of scheme. We don’t want to make enemies with any country, any people or any government. What we’re seeking is national development within a plan we established that we call Plan México.”
Among the objectives of the 2025-30 plan are to reduce reliance on imports from China and other Asian countries; increase the production of manufactured goods in Mexico; and create 1.5 million new jobs.
The new tariffs seek to support all of those goals.
Mexico Approves Up to 50% Tariffs on China, Other Asian Nations
“According to the legislation, Chinese cars face among steepest tariffs at 50%. The country’s massive auto sector currently holds 20% of Mexican market, up dramatically from minimal vehicle imports just 6 years ago” pic.twitter.com/2mecdFd9A8
— Danielle DiMartino Booth (@DiMartinoBooth) December 11, 2025
While Mexico is willing to engage with China, India and South Korea and listen to their concerns about the tariffs, it appears unlikely that it will grant any significant concessions to them in the short term.
Indeed, Ebrard said last week that the legislation approved by Congress is “quite reasonable” and opined that he didn’t believe it would “change in the short term.”
Sheinbaum said on Friday that her government will provide updates on its dialogue with officials from the countries that will be affected by the new tariffs that will take effect on Jan. 1.
Sheinbaum ‘very optimistic’ about USMCA review
Sheinbaum stressed that a “review” of the USMCA free trade pact will take place next year rather than a “renegotiation,” as U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated will occur.
“The agreement says that,” the president said.
Sheinbaum noted that the Trump administration has imposed a lot of tariffs this year — including on imports from Mexico and Canada — but declared that she is nevertheless “very positive” and “very optimistic” about the USMCA review.
Striking how uniquely exposed to Trump’s tariffs India is:
– 33% effective tariff rate (among the highest now)
– 19% of exports went to US last year (not Mexico, but high-ish) pic.twitter.com/qpDqUXicFp— Justin Sandefur (@JustinSandefur) December 5, 2025
She highlighted that U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer spoke to U.S. lawmakers this week and paraphrased him as saying “the [USMCA] agreement has been very good, but some issues have to be reviewed.”
“More or less, in a few words [that’s what he said]. His speech is quite long,” Sheinbaum said.
“That, in addition to the talks we’ve had [with the U.S.], gives us the view that we’re on the right track. And the Mexican economy will be fine in 2026,” she said.
The government’s priorities in 2026
A reporter asked the president what the government needs to “consolidate” in 2026, and also inquired whether she partakes in the 12 grapes ritual and if so what her 12 wishes for the new year would be.
Sheinbaum responded that the most important thing for her government is “the people of Mexico” and “their well-being.”
“And in that sense, we always work,” she said.
Sheinbaum went on to say that the fourth transformation political movement that was founded by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and which she now leads “has to be consolidated,” as to date there have only been “seven years of transformation.”
“Next year, we’re going to dedicate a significant amount of time to public investment,” she added.
“We’re going to continue dedicating significant time to the issue of security because … [improving security] must always be our goal,” Sheinbaum said.
She also said that citizens’ social and human rights, education, health care, housing and welfare programs would be priorities for her government in 2026.
“I’m very positive,” Sheinbaum said.
“And [with] the 12 grapes [my wishes go to] family, neighbors, nature, the homeland and then pueblo, pueblo, pueblo, pueblo, pueblo, pueblo,” she said, referring to the people of Mexico.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
British baker criticizes Mexican bread, and faces a predictable backlash
A British celebrity baker who built his career on artisanal sourdough has angered many Mexicans by dismissing their bread as “ugly” and lacking in nuance, then scrambling to apologize from the city where he now lives and works.
Richard Hart, a London-born baker and co-founder of Green Rhino bakery in Mexico City’s trendy Roma Norte neighborhood, questioned Mexico’s bread-making traditions during an interview on the Danish podcast Pop Foodie Radio.
EL PANADERO CON EL PAN
Desde 1927…
Una de las panaderías que han hecho historia en la Ciudad de México, sus fundadores, inmigrantes españoles con experiencia en repostería europea, llegaron con el propósito de ofrecer productos de alta calidad.#CronicasDeBanqueta#arturotrejo pic.twitter.com/jF9wMudkMo— Crónicas de Banqueta (@cronicabanqueta) October 4, 2025
He said Mexicans “don’t really have much of a bread culture” and “they make sandwiches on these white, ugly rolls that are pretty cheap and industrially made” — remarks seen as a swipe at everyday bolillos and teleras.
In a separate segment, Hart said, “Most people in Mexico eat sweet bread. They call it bread, but it’s more like pastries and buns. You know, they call everything bread, like croissants … It’s pretty obvious, because their version of a sandwich is the taco … you know, for Mexicans, that’s their sandwich.”
He also criticized Mexican flour. “What they use is completely processed, full of additives, like dough strengtheners and things like that.”
Hart later issued an apology, promising “to listen more and speak less” and “demonstrate through actions — not words — the respect that Mexican culture deserves.”
But by then the comments, though recorded in April 2024, had spread rapidly across social media after they were revived this month, provoking a wave of criticism.
“Don’t mess with the bolillo,” warned one post on X.
Others said Hart’s remarks minimized a bread tradition rooted in the Mexican Revolution and sustained by neighborhood panaderías that remain social hubs.
“He wants to be the Christopher Columbus of bread,” pastry chef Tania Medina told The Guardian, accusing Hart of “stomping” on a country that had welcomed him.
Commentator Rodrigo Sierra told The Guardian that Mexico has more than 600 kinds of bread, including pan de muerto for Day of the Dead, and called Hart’s view “very Eurocentric.”
“Bread is embedded in our culture … it’s an important part of a Mexican’s ritual,” he said.
Julio González of the Mexico City bakery project Buñuelo wrote on social media that “sometimes, when a lack of information is mixed with arrogance, it’s usually called ignorance.”
The backlash also intersected with broader anger over gentrification in Mexico City, where some residents say foreign arrivals drive up rents while catering mostly to tourists and expatriates.
Green Rhino itself offers items priced from about 50 pesos (US $2.77) for a flavored concha to 75 pesos (US $4.17) for an apple croissant to 165 pesos (US $9.15) for a sourdough loaf made with toasted pumpkin seeds, olive oil, garlic and rosemary — far above typical bakeries serving bolillos and pan dulce.
As the backlash grew, Hart issued his apology on Instagram and in Mexican media.
“I want to offer a clear and sincere apology. I made a mistake, and I deeply regret it,” he said. “However, my words didn’t reflect that respect; in this country, I’m a guest, and I forgot to act like one.”
He added: “I don’t expect an apology to erase the harm done, but I do want to take responsibility for learning and correcting my mistakes.”
Hart made a name for himself while working at Tartine in San Francisco, then co-founded Hart Bageri in Copenhagen. He moved to Mexico City and opened Green Rhino bakery in Roma Norte in June 2025.
He is a James Beard Award winner for his cookbook “Richard Hart Bread: Intuitive Sourdough Baking” whose work at Hart Bageri inspired a storyline for the FX series “The Bear.”
With reports from Infobae, Associated Press, El Financiero and The Guardian
