Tulum is known as a “magical town” and a walled city of the Maya culture. As a result, tourism in Tulum continues to grow. Today, it is considered one of the most outstanding tourist destinations in the Riviera Maya, the state of Quintana Roo, and Mexico.
This city owes its fame to its major tourist attractions: the ancient Mayan ruins on the shores of the Caribbean Sea; the cenotes; the jungle, marine life, idyllic beaches, and the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve (designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987).
All of this has led to a significant shift in tourism in Tulum in recent years. If you’re interested in learning about the growth of tourism in this beautiful city, we invite you to keep reading.
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Tourism Growth in Tulum
To discuss the growth of the tourism sector in Tulum, we’ll consider two aspects:
1. Tourism Trends
In Tulum, Mexico, there has been a growing tourism trend since 2000. That year marked the start of the development of the Riviera Maya tourism megaproject, which was based on a theoretical concept of sustainability.
In this regard, according to SEDETUR (Quintana Roo’s Department of Tourism) , the Riviera Maya (Solidaridad and Tulum) welcomed more than 2 million tourists from January through July 2012 .
The number of visitors mentioned above continued to rise through July 2013, reaching more than 2.5 million, representing a 6.2% increase between the two periods (2012 and 2013). Of the visitors who came to the Riviera Maya in 2013, 1.5 million visited Tulum.
Furthermore, in 2013, the number of visitors to archaeological sites in Tulum totaled 804,621, accounting for 63% of the total number of visitors in the state of Quintana Roo, where the total number of visits was 1,267,715.
Continuing with the trend in visitor numbers, in 2019 visits to archaeological sites totaled 2,2300.74, accounting for 65.33% of all visits in the state of Quintana Roo. Thus, when comparing these figures with those from 2013, there was a 56% increase in visits to archaeological sites.
Of the tourists who visit Tulum, more than 70% come from abroad, mainly from countries such as the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Spain, Germany, and Italy, among others. The remaining percentage comes from Mexico City, Campeche, Guadalajara, Querétaro, and Quintana Roo, among others.
2. Tourism Infrastructure
The city of Tulum, Mexico, is divided into three areas: the Hotel Zone, the Town, and the Archaeological Zone. The Hotel Zone is notable for its simple and environmentally sustainable infrastructure.
Tulum’s tourist accommodations consist of rustic cabins and small hotels that blend seamlessly into the natural surroundings. There are also a large number of resorts and luxury hotels.
The city’s hotel supply has been increasing since 2013. This year, the city had 133 hotels and 6,035 rooms, primarily three-, four-, and five-star properties. By 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, the city had 145, 152, 152, and 158 hotels, as well as 7,119, 7,124, 8,130, and 8,250 rooms, respectively.
Based on this data, we can say that there has been a slight increase in the number of hotels. Now, if we look at the number of rooms, we can see that there was significant growth between 2018 and 2019—specifically, an increase of 999 rooms, which represents 15% growth over three years.
Now, regarding the occupancy rate in the city of Tulum, Mexico, we can say that it is fairly consistent. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, the occupancy rate was 77.3%, 78.8%, and 79.1%, respectively. In 2020, this occupancy rate dropped to 50.3% as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. However, in the three preceding years, there was slow but steady growth.
Tourism Forecasts for Tulum
As for the future of the tourism sector in the city of Tulum, the outlook is positive. It is said that by 2023, tourism will have fully recovered—despite the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Major projects, such as the construction of the Tulum Airport, will already be completed by this year .
In addition, the Maya Train is set to open in 2023. This large-scale project represents one of the largest investments in tourism in Mexico over the past 60 years.
This 1,524-km railway line, which connects Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, and Chiapas, will greatly boost tourism in Tulum, as it will link 190 major tourist attractions.
