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The safety of tourists is something that Cancun officials take seriously, and the government and authorities always seem to be coming up with new ways to improve security in the popular tourist destination.
So it’s no surprise that some of the money coming in from the Cancun tourist tax is being used to install 1,000 surveillance cameras throughout the city.
This is in addition to the 200 cameras that were already installed.
The Environmental Sanitation Tax
The Environmental Sanitation Tax, also referred to as the Environmental Fee, is a fee that is added to your hotel reservation when you visit Cancun.
It was first introduced in February 2022 and charged at a rate of approximately 28 Mexican pesos, or $1.40 USD, per night.
It was announced at the end of 2022 that the fee would increase this year, nearly doubling to around 67 pesos per night, which is about $3.65 USD.
@shannoncaseygreen Police were CRAZY while on vacation! #cancunmexico ♬ Oh No – Kreepa
Purpose Of The Tax
While there is no clear description of exactly what the Environmental Sanitation Tax is used for, it has been made clear that it will be used to better Cancun.
Funds are contributed to things like infrastructure, beach cleanup, sargassum removal, and, as in this case, security.
According to the Garza Blanca Resort & Spa’s website page explaining the fee, it “supports government investment in environmental infrastructure, sustainability, and safety practices, among others.”
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@___ebo___ #mexico #cancun #beach #sun#hot #army #security #marina ♬ El Mariachi Loco – Mariachi de la Ciudad de Mexico
Who Pays The Tax
All visitors to Cancun that stay in a hotel, a timeshare hotel, or various other types of accommodations have to pay the Environmental Sanitation Tax.
This is not a per-room charge but a per-person charge that is added to guests’ hotel bills.
The money is collected from hotels, resorts, and other lodging facilities and then passed on to the government to be allocated for use.
@brendamckinleyrealtor Feeling safe! Yes, a few were women! #mexico #mexicomilitary #safebeach #cancun #vacation #thankyoumexico #safety ♬ Badass Woman – Meghan Trainor
Response From The Hotel Sector
Initially, there was some pushback from the hotel sector regarding the addition of the Environmental Sanitation Tax to guest hotel charges.
Much of this was due to the timing of adding the tax, which was right after the Covid-19 pandemic when hotels were in the midst of trying to recover pre-pandemic occupancy rates.
More resistance regarding the tax followed when later in the year 2022, the government decided to increase it by 15 percent.
@mama.dunbar Protecting the tourists and making us feel safe! #hotelzonecancun #cancunhotelzone #cancunmexico #cancun2023 #cancuntourist #cancunpolice #federales #PoliciaFederal ♬ original sound – Mama.dunbar
Security In Cancun
In addition to using the money for various environmental purposes, like keeping the beaches and the streets clean, money from the Environmental Sanitation Tax is also being used to improve security.
Cancun is generally a safe place to visit, but because it is a tourist destination, petty crimes are sometimes committed in tourist areas.
The security cameras will help deter some of that crime and, at the same time, help authorities in locating the criminals.
@rstanley0 #fyp #safety #security #beach #cancun #mexico #drinking ♬ original sound – morganwallen
Intelligent Monitoring
According to officials, the cameras that will be installed in the near future will have both analytic monitoring as well as a technology called intelligent monitoring.
They will have facial recognition capabilities and plate readers, both features that will help law enforcement officials in locating individuals who commit crimes.
Municipal president Ana Patricia Peralta commented on the high-tech camera installation, stating that they “have already talked about it with the committee because they know that it is urgent to have more technology.”
@jackstancil armed security in Cancun
♬ original sound – Jack Stancil
Cancun Safety
Despite warnings from U.S. officials, which are highly disapproved of by the Mexican government and tourism industry officials, Cancun is safe.
Tourists who stick to the tourist areas and don’t get involved with criminals can have a safe and enjoyable vacation in the very popular Mexican Caribbean destination.
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