Risks and Threats on the Coast of Quintana Roo: The Case of Tulum, México

Abstract

The 160 km of the Riviera Maya from Cancun to Tulum are highly valued by investors in the tourism sector. In the case of the city of Tulum, the problem is more acute due to hydrometeorological risks and effects on the environment, such as mangroves and underground rivers. The development of basic urban infrastructure (water, sanitation, and solid waste) for the resident population does not allow the development of large tourism real estate projects that are the site of several controversies between environmentalists, landowners, the municipality itself and the investors. The existence of a Tulum National Park and the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve put a brake on massive tourism development, but they are nevertheless affected. The methodology of analysis is based on a comparison between the risk maps and the municipal development plans, which reveals little interest in potential risks. Faced with this problem, the research proposes sustainable development and participatory risk management that will not affect the environment, including nature-friendly tourism development.