Europe’s anti-tourism movement appears to be sweeping across the world, most recently to the other side of the Atlantic. This summer, anti-gentrification demonstrations were held in the Mexican capital, particularly aimed at the surge in holiday rental apartments, which locals argue are depriving them of affordable homes.
As they marched through the Mexico City’s most affluent neighbourhoods, some also took aim at the expensive coffee shops and other businesses they claim cater to tourists, smashing their windows and spraying xenophobic slogans on their walls. Last year, Mexico welcomed 45 million international tourists, up from 35 million just under a decade ago. Of this figure, more than half a million (521,000 in 2016) Britons travel to Mexico every year, making it one of the significant tourism markets behind the likes of the US, France and Colombia. Cancun, in particular, has become one of the most popular spots, a tourist resort town built in the 1970s that has witnessed a 300% increase in arrivals over the past 10 years, drawing in nearly 10 million visitors last year.
One of the biggest sources of frustration has been the growth of cruise ship tourists. Arrivals are up 10% year on year, with the Port of Cozumel alone seeing more than 4.5 million arrivals in 2024, making it the fourth busiest cruise port in the world, behind Miami, Canarveral and Nassau.
In the southern state of Quintana Roo – home to Cancun, Tulum and Playa del Carmen – some 200,000 locals recently signed a petition against plans by Royal Caribbean to construct the company’s biggest purpose-built cruise resort in the small tourist region of Costa Maya, according to The Telegraph.
Another key concern is the rise of short-term rentals, which have become a significant driver of gentrification. Platforms like Airbnb have made it easier for property owners to rent out their apartments to tourists for high rates, effectively removing them from the long-term rental market. Residents argue that this practice is inflating property prices and reducing the availability of affordable housing.
Meanwhile, in Tulum, protesters attempted to block access to the Parque del Jaguar, complaining that residents are being denied free access to beaches and archaeological sites. They pointed the finger at the construction of the new Tren Maya (Mayan Train) railway, which intends to take tourists between local beach towns.
“The situation is largely down to the construction being managed by the military, which has led to the beaches being restricted,” said Carlos Rosado van der Gracht from Yucatán Magazine. “Given access to beaches is a constitutional right, people have been demonstrating and calling for it to be restored.”
This comes as it was revealed last month that the beautiful Mexican town of Oaxaca is fighting back against what residents have branded the “Dinseylandisation” of the territory to drive up tourism numbers in the area. According to the Oaxaca-based Center for Social Studies and Public Opinion, since 2020 the number of foreign and national tourists has risen by 77%. This has left locals grappling with a housing crisis and a spiralling cost of living, forcing them to take to the streets with banners warning: “Oaxaca is not a commodity”.