Empty beaches, shuttered restaurants and a hotel occupancy rate barely reaching 49% reflect the worst tourism season Tulum, Mexico, has had in the past decade.
Oct. 15 Empty beaches, shuttered restaurants and a hotel occupancy rate barely reaching 49%, compared with 66.7% during the same period in 2024 reflect the worst tourism season for Tulum, Mexico, in the past decade.
What was a global icon of alternative tourism and eco-luxury only a few years ago faces an unprecedented drop in visitors, driven by soaring prices, record levels of sargassum, rising crime and disputes over beach access.
One of its main attractions, the archaeological zone, received nearly 75,000 visitors in September last year. This year, just 18,000 travelers came, according to Mexico’s Tourism Secretariat.
Tulum is a coastal city about two hours south of Cancún by car. Known for its electronic music festivals, stunning beaches and bohemian vibe, it has been one of the Mexican Caribbean’s top tourist destinations over the past decade.
Tulum Mayor Diego Castañón acknowledged the difficult situation and announced measures to reverse the trend, including free access to all 25 public beach access points and an agreement with hotel and transportation associations to lower rates during the slow season.
However, the measures come too late for many local business owners.
