TULUM, Mexico – Tulum has become a hotspot for public and private investment in recent years, driven by its rapid growth and global tourist appeal. Both the municipal and state governments of Quintana Roo have poured millions of pesos into ambitious projects designed to improve infrastructure and support the city’s development. However, despite these large sums, many investments have sparked growing frustration among residents and visitors alike. While the town expands, daily severe life problems remain unaddressed, leading to a stark contrast between lavish spending in some areas and the deteriorating conditions in others.
One of the most visible examples of this disconnect between investment and the town’s real needs is the state of its streets and basic infrastructure. While millions are being funneled into upscale tourist areas, the central streets and popular neighborhoods of Tulum are in disrepair. Poor road conditions, crumbling sidewalks, and inadequate waste collection are pressing issues that locals and tourists face daily. This creates a brutal reality for those who live here or visit, expecting to enjoy the paradise that Tulum is marketed as.
Unequal growth and broken promises
Residents of Tulum have witnessed the town’s explosive growth but also its lack of long-term planning. Much of the municipality’s focus has been on developing tourist infrastructure, like new hotel zones and facilities, to attract more visitors. Unfortunately, this focus has often come at the expense of addressing the urgent needs of the local population, who continue to wait for solutions to the problems they have been dealing with for years.
One glaring example is the town’s waste collection system, which is inadequate and frequently ineffective despite the population boom. The streets in the center and residential areas are often littered with trash, creating both a public health hazard and an eyesore that detracts from the natural beauty that attracts many tourists to Tulum. Promises to modernize the waste management system have been made, but no substantial improvements have been seen, leaving the town struggling with a growing waste problem.
Additionally, poor traffic circulation planning has led to chaos on the main roads, particularly during high tourism seasons. While millions have been invested in specific areas, they have failed to resolve the town’s traffic and mobility issues. The lack of accessible sidewalks in many neighborhoods, like La Veleta, endangers pedestrians forced to navigate through puddles of stagnant water, trash, and debris on their way to work or school.
The cost of accessing public beaches
Another primary source of frustration for locals and visitors is the increasingly restricted access to Tulum’s public beaches. For years, the beaches were one of the town’s greatest draws, offering free and open access to everyone who wanted to enjoy the white sands and turquoise waters. However, the growing privatization of the coastline has recently severely limited free beach access. Today, those who wish to enjoy the beaches often have to pay entry fees through beach clubs or purchase access to areas that are now part of the National Park.
This situation has caused frustration among Tulum residents, who see their right to enjoy public spaces increasingly curtailed, and tourists who arrive expecting free access to the beach and are instead met with unexpected fees. Moreover, many beach clubs impose strict limitations on access, denying entry to those who don’t plan to spend money at their establishments or restricting the use of beachfront areas as if they were privately owned.
Neglected streets: the case of Calle 8 in La Veleta
Among the many examples of urban neglect in Tulum, Calle 8 in the La Veleta neighborhood is one of the most alarming cases. This street, essential for the daily movement of hundreds of families and workers, is deplorable. Stagnant water, debris, trash, and massive potholes make it difficult for vehicles and pedestrians to pass. During the rainy season, the street turns into a quagmire, with deep puddles that make it nearly impassable.
Despite being a longstanding issue, authorities have failed to provide a permanent solution to this and similar problems across the city. Meanwhile, residents are left to struggle with these daily challenges, wondering why millions are being spent on projects that don’t improve their quality of life while basic needs like road paving and urban cleaning are ignored.
An uncertain future for Tulum
Tulum remains a dream destination for millions of tourists worldwide, but the reality is far more challenging for residents. The millions of pesos being funneled into specific areas starkly contrast the deterioration of basic infrastructure and the lack of attention to the town’s actual needs. Restricted beach access, ineffective waste management, and crumbling streets continue unaddressed, even as the city markets itself as a pristine paradise.
Ultimately, Tulum’s future depends on finding a balance between tourism development and improving the quality of life for its residents. Environmental conservation and the well-being of the local community must become priorities for authorities if they are to preserve not only the region’s natural beauty but also the social fabric that makes Tulum a special place.
So, is Calle 8 in La Veleta the worst street in Tulum? We believe it’s not, or at least it’s not the only one.
