Last Updated
The deadline for tourism providers in the Mexican Caribbean has come and passed, according to officials at the Quintana Roo Tourism Department.
They will now start spot investigations of companies that provide services to visitors during the peak winter holiday travel season to make sure they have proper licenses and insurance to keep tourists safe.
Protecting Touring Travelers
Bernardo Cueto Riestra, head of the agency, mentioned that they are not trying to be unfair to businesses and owners trying to make money for the holidays and New Year.
His agency is only focused on making sure that travelers to the Mexican Caribbean enjoy their winter holiday vacation tour and are safe and secure at the same time.
However, he did comment that ensuring the proper licensing and insurance requirements for tourism businesses in the Mexican Caribbean will make the industry more competitive and provide more confidence for international travelers booking their vacation adventures.
Estimates are approximately 2,000 of the possible 6,000 tourist businesses actually meet the requirements to operate a safe and secure tourist business in the Mexican Caribbean.
Licensing For Airbnbs
According to Cueto Riestra, more than 80 percent of the hotel properties are on the registry.
However, the number of Airbnbs is not exactly known because they are currently undergoing their own registration process on a completely separate registry in the Mexican Caribbean.
The goal is to reach at least the same level of registration between hotel properties and the large number of vacation rentals in the area.
Why Registration is Important
For most travelers, the issue of proper registration may not be of much importance. However, it truly should be a consideration when selecting a tour or even a place to stay when visiting the Mexican Caribbean.
Ensuring that a tour, hotel room or even a vacation rental is properly registered means that the owner has the proper documents in place to protect tourists. That means proper insurance in the event of injury or theft, which is important for travelers’ peace of mind.
Sure, owners have to pay extra to make sure they are registered and properly insured. But that is worth the extra cost for visitors.
When it comes to accommodations, it ensures the property also has been inspected by officials to make sure safety and security is in place to protect travelers.
The penalty for noncompliance with the registration requirements is currently more than $5,000 pesos, or about $288 dollars.
Although, Cueto Riestra added that he hopes to get that amount increased as a future reform of the State of Quintana Roo Tourism Law.
What Visitors Need to Know
Travelers to the Mexican Caribbean should insist that their tourism service providers are properly licensed and have adequate insurance protection to ensure their safety and security.
That extra protection can provide visitors enjoying their vacation getaway during the peak winter travel season with extra peace of mind.
It is especially important when selecting a tour provider that may have possible risks from participation, such as snorkeling, boat tours, fishing trips, and even diving.
Even with the peace of mind knowing that a tourist service provider is properly licensed and is carrying a needed level of insurance protection, travelers to the Mexican Caribbean should additionally purchase their own travel insurance to protect themselves while enjoying a vacation getaway to the beach resort destination.
There are a number of different travel insurance policies available, depending on the service protection needed, the length of the vacation getaway, the types of tours that travelers are participating in, and the desired price to pay.
Having a travel insurance policy in effect for a vacation getaway would be like an extra blanket of safety and security on top of the required coverage provided by the tourism vendor.
Plan Your Next Cancun Vacation:
Traveler Alert: Don’t Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip!
Choose From Thousands of Cancun and Riviera Maya Hotels, Resorts and Hostels with Free Cancellation On Most Properties
↓ Join the community ↓
The Cancun Sun Community FB group has all the latest travel news, conversations and tourism Q&A’s for the Mexican Caribbean
Subscribe to our Latest Posts
Enter your email address to subscribe to The Cancun Sun’s latest breaking news affecting travelers, straight to your inbox.