Playa del Carmen's Small Hotels Struggle with Low Occupancy Rates

Sargassum mismanagement plagues Playa del Carmen's small hotels. Tourism officials call for increased promotion and effective management to boost occupancy.

, and Administrator

2025 October 27 . 4:01 AM

1 min read

This picture is clicked inside the hotel and in front, we see a table on which white color cloth is... — This picture is clicked inside the hotel and in front, we see a table on which white color cloth is placed. On table, we see plates, fork, spoon, glass, branches of tree. Around the table, we see chairs and behind that we see the other table which is like green in color and behind that, we see a man wearing black blazer. Next to him, we see the girl standing and behind them, we see door on which exit is written on it and behind that door, we see two men standing.

Playa del Carmen's Small Hotels Struggle with Low Occupancy Rates

Playa del Carmen's small hotels are grappling with low occupancy rates, with an average of just 37% during a recent summer week. The situation has been described as a 'persistent bad streak' by Offner Arjona, the president of the Small Hotels Association.

The occupancy rates have been particularly concerning for some hotels, with Liliana Bravo Mena, the outgoing president of AMEXME, reporting that some establishments had occupancy rates as low as 25% during the summer. Bravo Mena attributed this decline to the mismanagement of sargassum, a persistent issue in the area. She highlighted that despite efforts, there are no tangible results in managing this problem.

Bravo Mena called for increased tourism promotion and the resolution of underlying issues to revive the tourism industry in Playa del Carmen. She emphasized the need for comprehensive management of sargassum to improve hotel occupancy rates and boost tourism.

The low occupancy rates in Playa del Carmen's small hotels, exacerbated by sargassum mismanagement, have raised concerns among local tourism officials. Bravo Mena's call for increased tourism promotion and effective sargassum management underscores the urgency of addressing these issues to restore the area's tourism industry.