Tulum, Q.R. — Governor Mara Lezama says a lack of free beach access has been acknowledged as a factor in the decline in tourism. With that, she also said that there has been “significant progress” in the comprehensive plan to rescue Tulum.
She made the comments after attending the second work meeting Wednesday with the Federal Secretary of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez.
“It was a great meeting in addition to the ones we’ve been having for months with Mundo Maya who have shown great openness and willingness. The truth is that there’s good news, not just for Tulum, but also for what we’ve been doing with the Federal Ministry of Tourism,” she said.
“We have a comprehensive plan that we have been working on for weeks with Mundo Maya,” she said without elaborating. She said to date, they have held four meetings with Mundo Maya, the company that manages the Jaguar Park.
She reported that they are “making great progress” concering the lack of beach access, which was one of the acknowleged issues that has influenced the decline in tourism.
“That’s precisely what Wednesday’s meeting was about. We have been very clear: access to beaches must be free for Mexicans and in that regard, we’re making significant progress,” she reiterated. “I note that while there is certainly progress in this area, we must move forward together, starting with beach access and infrastructure, in the order that is fundamental,” she added.
Lezama acknowledged that the lack of free beach access for tourists has generated legitimate concerns and complaints. She noted that many vacation rental properties and hotels are not on the beach, leaving visitors to access the sand on their own.
However, that lack of free access has created problems. “What happened? Digital platforms, hotels without beaches…the demand is very valid,” she said.
She also touched on the topic of the Tulum archaeological site, which she said, recorded an increase in visitors during the first half of the year, but a decline starting in the summer.
In light of this, she said the challenge is not only to guarantee access, but also to make comprehensive progress in infrastructure, planning and regulations to address the gaps accumulated over decades and consolidate a sustainable and equitable development model for the destination.
Governor Lezama said that the details surrounding the results of their meetings will be announced later by the federal government. She said the plan will be officially presented by President Claudia Sheinbaum, who announced in her morning press conference the detailed report on Tulum within the next week.
