Meagan Drillinger
It's rare to see a destination's downfall play out in real time, but Tulum's unraveling has become impossible to ignore. On social media, videos of empty restaurants and quiet beaches have replaced the endless parade of influencers once dancing barefoot in the sand. What was once Mexico's most enviable success story is now enduring its weakest tourism season in more than a decade.
According to Quintana Roo tourism data, hotel occupancy in Tulum's coastal zone plummeted to around 30% this summer, with town-center rates dipping as low as 15%. Airlines have responded by cutting service: both United and JetBlue have suspended or reduced flights, while Air Canada canceled its seasonal route entirely. Tulum Airport reported 3,514 international operations between January and July 2025, compared with 5,026 for all of 2024.
"We've always known Tulum was the exception," said Matteo Luthi, COO of Journey Mexico. "You'd spend a lot of money, but the return was huge. People loved it because you'd arrive, kick off your shoes, forget your watch and relax. There were beautiful beaches, great restaurants and a relaxed, mellow vibe."
That magic, he said, started to erode as success gave way to overconfidence. "They went too far. Prices kept rising, and there was less loyalty to the tourism industry -- to the agencies and tour operators that helped drive customers. The attitude [of hotels and businesses] became arrogant. Businesses knew they were the hot ticket, and if you didn't like what they were selling, that was fine, because they were still making money. They stopped going the extra mile."
Luthi described a destination that lost its balance. "We're talking about 4 kilometers of beachfront with just one road in and out," he said. "People kept building hotels, restaurants and nightclubs, and greed took over. What used to be an ecological beach town of small, 20- or 30-room hotels turned into five-story developments. It changed the demographic completely."
The rapid expansion overwhelmed local infrastructure. "The traffic is unbearable," he said. "Sometimes it takes half an hour or more to get from one side to another."
Then came the environmental blows. Record sargassum blooms blanketed Tulum's beaches this year, dulling the turquoise waters that once defined it.
"It's a Caribbean-wide issue," Luthi said, "but it hits Tulum harder because it's a protected area. You can't bring in machinery to clear it. Sometimes there's two or three yards of it before you reach the water."
If the environmental and infrastructure issues weren't enough, policy missteps have compounded the problem. The long-awaited Felipe Carrillo Puerto Airport, which opened in late 2023, has struggled to attract and retain carriers.
"They built an airport, but it's so complicated," Luthi said. "Flights have been canceled because demand isn't there. The airport is 40 minutes from town, and depending on traffic, it can take an hour to reach your hotel. Then there's the pickup fee from taxis, which ranges from $60 to $100 -- some of the highest in the country. It just doesn't make sense."
Even Tulum's archaeological zone, once one of its biggest draws, has become harder to visit due to the opening of Parque del Jaguar, a park with beaches, trails, lookout points and a museum.
"They opened an amusement park near the ruins," Luthi said. "You have to pay to enter the park, then again for transportation to the site."
These compounding frustrations have driven away both travelers and the trade. "At Journey Mexico, we're no longer actively promoting it," Luthi said. "The value just isn't there."
Government response to criticism
Amid mounting criticism, Mexico's federal government has stepped in. Secretary of tourism Josefina Rodriguez Zamora announced this week that new agreements have been reached to guarantee free and public beach access in Tulum and to simplify entry to Jaguar Park, the protected coastal reserve that had become a flashpoint for controversy.
According to Rodriguez Zamora, the changes are part of the first actions from the government's Strategic Actions Coordination Committee for Tulum, created under the directive of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
Two new public access points have already opened in the Tulum hotel zone -- at Playas Conchita and Del Pueblo (kilometers 4.5 and 5.5) -- along with a southern access point inside Jaguar Park. The traditional central entrance is expected to reopen in the coming days.
Additionally, a unified pricing structure has been introduced for visitors to Jaguar Park, the Tulum Archaeological Zone and the Protected Natural Area, with one rate for Mexican nationals and another for foreign visitors. On Sundays, admission to the archaeological site will remain discounted, and access to Jaguar Park will be free for everyone.
The initiative, developed with support from 14 federal agencies, the Mundo Maya Group and the state and municipal governments, also guarantees that Tulum residents will continue to enjoy free, year-round access to beaches and natural areas.
Alternatives to Tulum
Travelers, Luthi said, haven't lost interest in Mexico's Caribbean -- they're simply looking elsewhere. "Holbox could be an alternative," he said, referring to the small, bohemian island off the northern coast of Quintana Roo. "It's not as luxurious, and getting there takes effort. But it's got a similar vibe of what Tulum used to be."
For advisors, Tulum's decline underscores a broader truth: When development outpaces infrastructure, sustainability and trust, the magic inevitably fades.
"They need to figure out a new way of doing tourism," Luthi said. "It starts with changing the mentality. Businesses and the local government need to be more humble and rebuild trust with the industry and tourists."
Whether Tulum can recover remains uncertain. But as travelers continue to seek meaning, value and authenticity over hype, Mexico's onetime darling has become a cautionary tale for the entire region.