The Tulum Times: Local News, Travel, and Culture from the Mexican Caribbean
Businesses
Empty Rooms in Paradise as Tulum Struggles While Riviera Maya Hits Peak Occupancy
Despite record-breaking numbers across the Riviera Maya, Tulum’s hotel occupancy crisis deepens as union leaders warn of cancellations and looming layoffs.
Society
Tulum Fire Department Elevates Emergency Standards With Specialized Regional Training Program
Tulum Fire Department launches intensive training on vehicle extraction and firefighting hydraulics to enhance emergency response and safety for the community.
Lead Story
Ariadna Chávez Secures Silver in Major Continental Judo Breakthrough in Panama
Tulum judoka Ariadna Jerai Chávez Medina achieves a historic second-place finish at the Pan-American Judo Cup in Panama, marking a major leap in her international career.
Quintana Roo Deploys 7,200-Strong Joint Force for Historic 2026 Easter Tourism Season
As 1.2 million visitors arrive for Semana Santa, Quintana Roo launches a massive Tulum Easter security operation to protect the Mexican Caribbean.
Tulum Celebrates First University Graduates as UTT Delivers Professional Local Talent
The Universidad Tecnológica de Tulum (UTT) marks a historic milestone with its first generation of 37 graduates in Tourism and Gastronomy, signaling a new era of local professionalization.
One Year After the Ambush of Tulum’s Security Secretary the Search for Justice Continues
Twelve months after the brutal ambush that claimed the life of José Roberto Rodríguez Bautista in La Veleta, the investigation into Tulum's Security Secretary remains open with more questions than answers.
Satellite monitoring drives faster response to sargassum risk in Tulum
Quintana Roo’s tourism industry has launched a large-scale coastal operation using barriers, AI collection boats, and real-time monitoring as Tulum and nearby destinations prepare for an unusually heavy sargassum season.
Tulum tourism rebound above 80% fails to stop closures
Tulum is receiving more visitors again, but hotel and business closures continue after the sector’s 2025 downturn, leaving workers and their families facing ongoing economic uncertainty.
Riviera Maya Residences
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Latest Dispatches
Art & Culture
AWARË closes NOMMO Fest 2026 with community finale in Tulum
AWARË closed NOMMO Fest 2026 on March 21 at the Polideportivo de Tulum, where music, art, family activities, vendors, and local causes came together in the festival’s final public celebration.
Real Estate
Oversupply in Tulum apartments creates opening for selective investors
Tulum’s real estate market is adjusting after years of fast growth, with high apartment inventory, lower demand, and a stronger focus on legal certainty, giving buyers more leverage.
Travel
Tulum tightens surveillance ahead of spring equinox visitor surge
As Tulum prepares for larger spring equinox crowds, authorities are tightening surveillance and urging visitors to respect restricted areas while guides highlight the site’s Maya astronomical and maritime significance.
Businesses
Tulum airport recovery may depend on new three-year incentives
A Quintana Roo tourism official says Tulum airport’s flight pullback followed a lapse in airline incentives, even after a strong launch. The issue now is whether new terms can restore routes and lower access costs over time.
Businesses
Local construction slowdown cuts jobs for Tulum workers
Tulum’s construction slowdown is reducing local hiring, limiting stable job placements, and affecting family income as fewer projects move forward and more companies rely on outside crews.
Travel
Holy Week 2026 in Tulum is expected to test travel planning
Holy Week in Tulum will bring heavy crowds, high demand, beach uncertainty, and major transport pressure, making planning essential for visitors and increasingly important for residents.
Art & Culture
Salvador Dalí disciple Zoran Matić presents works in Tulum
European artist Zoran Matić opened an exhibition at Tulum Country Club, bringing residents and the Riviera Maya cultural community together while adding another international art event to Tulum’s growing cultural profile.
Travel
Holy Week packages place Tulum inside Maya Train tourism plan
The Maya Train will offer 10 Holy Week tourist packages with rail travel, lodging, tours and some Mexicana flights, with Tulum included as both an arrival point and a destination in the network.
Art & Culture
The Faces of Tulum gives voice to the town’s Mayan elders
Emma’s “The Faces of Tulum” combines oil portraits and recorded interviews to preserve the memories of Mayan elders and create a lasting, accessible record of the people who shaped the town.
Lifestyle
Run Tulum and the Rise of a New Social Ritual in Town
Through the voices of founders Elle and Tony Madalone, this story explores how Run Tulum is becoming more than a running club; a growing community that may be shaping a new era of fitness, connection, and everyday wellbeing in Tulum.
Travel
Riviera Maya Travel
Visitors denounce lack of Sunday transport at Jaguar Park
Riviera Maya Travel
Tulum free beach access offers relief, but barriers remain in hotel zone
