Profeco Steps Up Oversight in Tulum Amid Price Opacity and High Charges: Seals on Hotels and Penalties for Businesses

The Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) launched a special operation in Tulum following complaints about high charges and lack of clear information for customers at hotels, restaurants, and shops. The agency sealed off several businesses and documented unusually high prices for commonly consumed food and beverages, in addition to violations of the Federal Consumer Protection Law (LFPC), such as failing to display rates in pesos and in Spanish, pressuring customers for tips, and not providing receipts.

In the tourist corridor known as Parque Jaguar, Profeco identified consistently higher lodging rates than those found in downtown Tulum. The average price for a standard room was around 3,600 pesos per night, with some cases exceeding 10,000 pesos; in the town center, standard rooms ranged from 600 to 1,200 pesos. As a result, four hotels—Diamante K, Pocna Tulum, Villa Pescadores, and Cabañas Playa Condesa Tulum—were temporarily sealed for violations such as not displaying service terms, posting prices in foreign currency or other languages, encouraging mandatory tipping, and failing to provide receipts.

The operation extended to grocery stores and pharmacies. Inspections were carried out at Súper San Francisco de Asís, Walmart, Chedraui Tulum, Comercializadora Farmacéutica del Sureste, Proveedora del Panadero, and Farmacon, among others. Except for Farmacon, these businesses faced actions for failing to visibly display prices or omitting information about warranties and returns. For convenience stores, monitoring included OXXO, 7-Eleven, and GO MART, the latter exhibiting the highest average prices among the chains evaluated.

With support from the "Who’s Who in Prices" (QQP) program, Profeco collected data at 29 locations—hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and pharmacies—the majority within the Parque Jaguar area. Notable findings included orders of guacamole priced up to 280 pesos, basic hamburgers over 400 pesos, taco plates reaching 400 pesos, and three-quesadilla orders nearly 290 pesos. Authorities emphasized that monitoring will continue and reminded consumers they can file complaints with Odeco offices and through digital channels.

This regulatory adjustment comes at a time when tourism plays a pivotal role in the Mexican economy: Quintana Roo brings in a significant share of international visitors and tourism revenue, while the new Tulum airport and increased connectivity in the southeast have brought more traffic. General inflation has subsided from the 2022 peaks, but service costs—including lodging and dining out—remain stubbornly high, pressured by wages, energy, rent, and peak seasonal demand. At beach destinations, quoting prices in dollars to tourists is common; however, LFPC requires that prices be displayed in pesos and in Spanish, without exception.

Legally, Profeco does not set prices but does penalize practices that violate consumer rights: clearly displaying prices, providing receipts, full disclosure of terms and conditions, and banning mandatory tips are all obligations under the law. Suspension measures temporarily prevent the sale of goods or services until violations are corrected and may lead to fines.

For the sector, this episode highlights two major fronts: on one hand, the need to reinforce regulatory compliance and transparency for customers; on the other, the challenge of maintaining the destination's competitiveness among domestic and international travelers more sensitive to value for money. The experience in Tulum could set a precedent for similar tourist hubs if comparable patterns are found, while increased oversight may help stabilize price dispersion and contribute to more consistent inflation stats in tourism services.

In short, Profeco’s intervention seeks to bring order to the market without imposing price controls, prioritizing transparency and fair treatment. For Tulum, balancing costs, quality, and clear offerings will be key to sustaining consumer trust and ensuring the destination remains competitive amid strong but increasingly discerning demand.

Final note: The operation reflects an effort to correct opaque practices in a high-demand destination. Key issues to watch: compliance with LFPC regarding prices and tipping, normalization of rates between areas, effects on service inflation, and the sector’s response to improve consumer experience without sacrificing margins.