It’s not every day that a president name-drops Tulum on national television. But that’s exactly what happened this week when Claudia Sheinbaum, in her daily morning conference, declared that tourism, and Tulum in particular, would be a top priority for her new federal administration.
That wasn’t just political lip service. Hours later, Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez, was on the ground in Tulum’s emblematic Parque Nacional del Jaguar, flanked by a contingent of municipal, state, and federal officials. What followed was a firm announcement: Tulum is at the center of a new interinstitutional tourism push. And this time, it appears the government is serious.
Why Tulum and why now?
Rodríguez’s visit was more than symbolic. Speaking alongside Quintana Roo’s governor, Mara Lezama, and local tourism leaders, the secretary made clear that years of accumulated challenges, from beach access disputes to strained infrastructure, have reached a critical point. According to Rodríguez, a special working group has now been set up to tackle these long-standing issues “from every angle.”
“This isn’t just about tourism numbers,” she told a packed room of local stakeholders. “It’s about making Tulum a better experience for everyone, residents, workers, and visitors alike.”
The diagnosis? A cocktail of delayed planning, exponential growth, and an overburdened tourism system. The cure? Coordination, urgency, and listening, something Rodríguez pledged to do weekly, in person.
Coordination across all levels of government
A newly formed interinstitutional working group, which includes representatives from the federal, state, and municipal governments, is now tasked with delivering concrete actions in the coming days. According to Rodríguez, the results of recent diagnostic visits will be revealed next week, along with a roadmap of immediate measures. These are expected to include improvements in beach access, transportation, and diversification of tourist offerings.
The message was clear: no more Band-Aids. Tulum needs surgery.
“We’ve already started weekly meetings with hotel owners and artisans,” she said. “Next up are restaurateurs, service providers, and tour guides. Every voice matters.”
Two Quintana Roo hotels chosen for World Cup 2026 teams
In a surprising bit of news with international resonance, Governor Lezama also revealed that two Quintana Roo hotels, Mayakoba in Riviera Maya and Moon Palace in Cancún, have been selected by FIFA to host national teams during the 2026 World Cup. The specific teams will be announced after the tournament draw.
Though not directly related to Tulum, the announcement adds another spotlight to the region’s profile ahead of the high season, which runs from November through April.
Local tourism by the numbers
From January to September this year, Tulum welcomed over 1.2 million visitors, with an average hotel occupancy rate of 69 percent. That’s not just recovery, it’s stability. As Lezama put it, “These figures reflect the confidence, dynamism, and strength of our destination.”
Yet beneath the numbers lies a more complicated truth. While tourism remains the lifeblood of Tulum’s economy, the town has grappled with congestion, environmental strain, and unregulated development. For locals, that means unpredictable services and rising costs. For tourists, it can translate into chaotic logistics and disappointing experiences.
A human-sized commitment to change
In a quiet moment outside the press conference, one hotelier from Aldea Zama shared his cautious optimism. “They’ve promised action before,” he said. “But this feels different. Having the Secretary of Tourism here every week, that sends a message.”
And it does. Rodríguez’s pledge to return weekly, meet with each sector personally, and integrate their feedback into policy is rare in Mexican federal governance. Whether this commitment translates into tangible change is another matter. But for now, the signal has been sent.
Tulum is no longer a side note in the national tourism agenda. It’s the headline.
What changes could visitors expect?
Beyond improved beach access and mobility infrastructure, the Secretary hinted at potential tariff adjustments for parks and services. “We are conducting diagnostic reviews that will inform smart decisions,” she said, emphasizing the need for collaboration with private partners.
Her call for shared responsibility was direct: “We are not alone. We’re a team of 11 from the Secretariat, and we are fully invested in making Tulum better.”
For the business community, this could mean a more streamlined set of regulations. For tourists, a more seamless and enjoyable experience. And for locals, perhaps, a shift in the power dynamics that have long defined the tourism economy.
Tulum’s moment of reckoning, or renaissance?
There’s something undeniably cinematic about a high-ranking federal official walking through the jaguar-shaped paths of a national park, followed by a press huddle and promises of change. But Tulum doesn’t need more scenes. It needs substance.
The challenges are layered: ecological degradation, gentrification, transportation bottlenecks, and the ever-present tension between development and preservation. Addressing them will require more than working groups and good intentions.
Still, for a destination often caught between utopia and overload, even the promise of reinvestment, real, federal reinvestment, feels like a shift.
And maybe, just maybe, this is the start of Tulum’s second act.
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What changes would you like to see in Tulum’s tourism future?