by Mark Chesnut
Last updated: 11:00 AM ET, Mon November 3, 2025
The opening-night gala of Cancun Travel Mart 2025 exemplified
the optimistic vibe of a destination in growth mode. Hundreds gathered for a
festive evening at the soon-to-open Secrets
Mirabel Cancun Resort & Spa, a beautifully reimagined property
(formerly the Oasis Sens) that will debut in November 2025 as part of Hyatt’s
Inclusive Collection.
That lively gathering gave attendees a sneak peek at the
newly branded property — and also provided a taste of the positive developments
in Cancún, Puerto Morelos, Isla Mujeres and the rest of the region.
The 37th annual Cancun Travel Mart, which took
place October 22-24 at Iberostar
Selection Cancun, provided a platform for the Cancún, Puerto Morelos & Isla Mujeres
Hotel Association (CPMIMHA), local
tourism officials and hoteliers to share news and connect with domestic and
international attendees. A total of more than 550 delegates attended,
representing 230 companies and 28 countries, with more than 2,231 business
meetings taking place. The hotel association estimates that sales resulting
from these negotiations are projected to exceed US $5.2 billion, surpassing the
previous year’s total of US $4.95 billion.
Issues including sustainability, hotel growth and the
potential of the FIFA World Cup were among the hot topics at this year’s
convention.
Sustainability Takes
Center Stage
Cancun is poised to become the first Mexican destination to
join the Zero Waste initiative, overseen by the UN World Tourism Organization,
according to Ana Paty Perala, the municipal president of Cancun.
Noting that the city currently generates some 1,500 tons of
waste daily, Perala said the announcement “represents the new view of tourism
that we’re building together with our governor, Mara Lezama: more
conscientious, more fair and truly sustainable, to generate wellbeing today without
putting tomorrow at risk.”
In the first phase, the program will conduct diagnostics of
89 hotels in the hotel zone's plastic, straw, and disposable reduction efforts,
with the first results to be disclosed at the upcoming FITUR 2026.
The program, supported by TUI Care Foundation as part of
their first Latin America deployment, includes technical and practical actions
such as waste generation analysis, beach and mangrove clean-ups, and
local-level campaigns.
Hotel Developments
Fuel Momentum
In addition to business meetings, participants also had
opportunities to visit other destinations in the region, including Puerto
Morelos, where The
Fives Oceanfront Riviera Maya hosted a press lunch and La Sirena, a restaurant in downtown Puerto
Morelos, hosted a rooftop cocktail. On Isla Mujeres, the upscale Impression
Isla Mujeres by Secrets staged a press lunch.
Attendees also learned about ongoing investment in new and
renovated hotels throughout the region.
One of the most unique new hotels is SOTA, a beautiful “holistic jungle sanctuary”
near Puerto Morelos. At this design-driven property, guests stay in stylish
glass villas and can partake in activities such as sound therapy, temazcal
ceremonies, yoga sessions, and swims in a private, on-site cenote. (I enjoyed a
post-convention stay at SOTA, and I was impressed by the hotelier’s innovative
combination of natural beauty, local traditions and decidedly upscale accommodations
and amenities.)
Hotels still in the works include the new-build Hyatt
Place Cancún Airport, scheduled to debut in November; the Hotel Riu
Ventura, opening in December; the Grand
Hyatt Cancun Beach Resort, slated for a summer 2026 opening; and the Park
Hyatt Cancun, expected to debut in late 2026.
Properties scheduled to reopen after major renovations
include the Royalton
Riviera Cancun, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort, the Royalton
Hideaway Riviera Cancun, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort – Adults
Only, both of which reopen in December, and Secrets
Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort and Hyatt
Zilara Cancún, scheduled for 2026.
The Fiesta
Americana Condesa Cancún, meanwhile, has already completed a major
transformation that includes new immersive dining experiences (tango-infused
steakhouse dinners, beachfront omakase nights), a new adults-only wellness center
with beach club and upgraded suites with bespoke turndown services and mixology
kits.
Also offering new amenities is the Hilton Cancún
All‑Inclusive
Resort, which has opened its first adults-only beach area, the AMAI Beach
Club.
Spa enthusiasts may be especially interested in two
properties in the Lomas Hospitality portfolio that have added new experiences.
Wine Wellness, which includes the therapeutic use of wine, is now available at Náay
Spa, a facility shared by Palafitos – Overwater Bungalows and El Dorado Maroma.
Cancun Travel Mart show floor. (Photo Credit: DepartureLevel.com)
Soccer and Strategy
Beyond the business appointments and hospitality news, one
of the most talked-about announcements during Cancún Travel Mart was the
region’s strategic positioning ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Cancun’s tourism
officials and hotel community are banking big on the tournament to bring
additional travelers, with a new campaign designed to lure stopover visitors —
especially those traveling from Latin America and Europe. Among the selling
points: Cancun is one of the few destinations with nonstop service to all of
the 16 FIFA host cities.
The state government of Quintana Roo, led by Governor Mara
Lezama Espinosa, presented an overview of the promotional campaign and noted
that Quintana Roo will serve as the base camp for two international teams.
During a packed-room presentation, the governor said that
the base camp designation “fills us with pride, but also commits us to continue
transforming tourism with wellbeing, social justice and a vision for the
future.” She praised the efforts of thousands of people behind the scenes —
from airport staff to beach-cleaning teams. “Through the efforts of our people,
the Mexican Caribbean will be the heart of the World Cup 2026, and will
demonstrate that in Mexico and Quintana Roo, the transformation continues.”
Lezama Espinosa also stressed the benefits of her
government’s progressive stance. “In this new form of governing, we demonstrate
that a humanist government with a feminist heart can transform economic
development into wellbeing for families,” she said. “This is confirmation that
when transformation takes place with honesty and hard work, results are felt in
every community.”
The 38th edition of Cancún Travel Mart will take place
October 21-23, 2026, with a focus on greater digital integration,
sustainability and further international expansion. "While details for next year are still being
finalized, we are excited about what’s to come," said Rodrigo de la
Peña Segura, president of CPMIMHA. "We
have ambitious plans in store for 2026."
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