The Mexican government launched a 128-action strategy named Tulum Reborn: Fairer, Safer and More Sustainable on Friday, in response to the recent decline in tourism to the Caribbean coast destination.
Tulum in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula welcomed just over 1.3 million tourists between January and October. Meanwhile, Tulum International Airport, which commenced operations in December 2023, experienced a 9.4% increase in passenger traffic, according to Mexico’s Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez.
The town’s average hotel occupancy stands at 75.8%. However, in September, occupancy fell 17.5 percentage points compared to the same month last year, from 66.7% to 49.2%, according to the state Tourism Ministry (Sedetur).
Videos have also circulated on social media in recent months showing empty streets, restaurants and beaches, giving cause for concern across Tulum’s tourism industry.
While Tulum’s Mayor Diego Castañón said the situation has been made worse by a smear campaign orchestrated by the private sector and social media influencers, several factors have, in fact, contributed to the fall in tourism.
Elevated prices, controversial rules regarding public access to beaches and greater quantities of seaweed during the summer months have been blamed for driving tourists away.
A sharp drop in hotel occupancy has the Tulum tourism sector worried
To tackle the decline, the government announced there will be free access to public beaches — without food or beverage restrictions — in Jaguar National Park and the hotel zones as part of its Tulum Reborn strategy.
The strategy was developed with consultation across various institutions at different levels of government, according to Rodríguez.
“The design and creation of the campaign… is underway; this includes the promotion of tourist routes and products in the region, and the integration of a calendar of high-impact cultural and tourist events,” Rodríguez stated.
Tulum Reborn is centered around four pillars: the orderly regulation of tourist attractions, responsible urban and environmental management, tourism development and promotion and the comprehensive improvement of infrastructure and facilities.
Two entrances are now open to Jaguar Park, providing access to the four beaches within the protected area. In addition, two new public access points have been established in the hotel zone, to Conchitas Beach and Playa del Pueblo.
The park will be open 365 days a year with access to visitors and residents alike. Quintana Roo’s Governor, Mara Lezama, stressed that access to public beaches is a fundamental right.
“We invite everyone – locals, nationals, and foreigners – to come in… walking, running or cycling and enjoy [the beaches] to the fullest,” said Lezama.
Lezama also announced that the region will soon host “Tulum, the Show,” as part of the Mexico Aerospace Fair, which is expected to attract 20,000 visitors, as well as the PGA Tour Professional Golf Tournament and several other high-impact events.
With reports from El Universal and Quadratín Quintana Roo
