More Than 250 Residential Style Projects In Progress In The Growing City Prompting Infrastructure Investment
Tulum is seeing a massive surge in residential tourism, evident in the more than two hundred and fifty projects currently underway. There is also a large investment in hotel development.
According to real estate agents in the area, the majority of the projects are being funded by North American investors who have faith in the city’s huge growth potential. The trend is backed up by recently released statistics that suggest almost 50% of the city’s accommodation is operating via rental apps like Airbnb.
Tulum is in stark contrast to the other major tourist city in Quintana Roo, Cancun, which still sees the vast majority of its business coming from its famous hotel zone. The trajectory of Tulum seems to be following its current tourist base, although many of the world’s most important hotel chains have recently started investing in the city too.
Hilton, Marriott, and other major hotel chains have all built, broke ground, or announced multiple hotels in the city, taking advantage of its surge in popularity over the pandemic.
Although many hoteliers may not be pleased about the prominence of rental properties in the city compared to traditional accommodation, the surge is prompting the local government to invest in infrastructure projects to improve the general operational abilities of the town.
According to a local expert, “the three levels of government are working in Tulum, creating the infrastructure and urban development works that this tourist destination requires. The works include aqueducts, electrical infrastructure, drainage, etc in order to be able to respond to the great demand for public services that already exist in Tulum.”
The city saw a dramatic surge in popularity as the pandemic gripped the planet. Tulum was a relatively quiet town that pulled a few longer-term ex-pats or seasonal tourists to its shores. The quieter life was attractive to those that were not interested in Cancun or wanted a longer stay.
But with Mexico’s relaxed stance on COVID, Tulum became something of a haven for younger long-term travelers. With most of the world closed, Tulum’s beaches and relaxed style of living became attractive for digital nomads, influencers, and other groups of young tourists. These groups were not living in hotels, choosing cheap apartment complexes and other longer-term accommodation.
Prices have soared in the city since, and the town has struggled to keep up with the growth. Its police force is smaller than required, and the public works system was not designed to deal with the sudden addition of so many new properties.
It is hoped the work being done by the local government will ease the problems being felt, as Tulum’s popularity is only set to grow further. The arrival of the Maya Train and its own international airport will make the town more accessible than ever. Currently, anyone arriving in Tulum must fly into Cancun and travel as much as two hours to reach the town. By the end of 2023, that trip time will be minutes instead of hours, allowing even more crowds to access its shores.
The Maya Train will also increase accessibility to Tulum. The system will connect the entirety of the Yucatan Peninsula, increasing day or weekend tourism from other regions of the gulf. Those in Cancun who may wasn’t a change of pace can now book shorter stays in Tulum to see the ruins and more of its unique attractions.
It’s hard to predict how Tulum will look in the future with so many developments taking place within its city limits, but it is clear the growth is going to continue for the foreseeable future, offering an interesting and eventually competitive alternative to Cancun.
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