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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Mattha Busby

Mexican tourism boom: Tulum’s locals fight evictions as developers move in

A Mayan temple on a cliff above a beach
The Mayan temple above Tulum beach in Mexico. As the resort attracts growing numbers of wealthy tourists, poverty among local people has risen. Photograph: Tuul and Bruno Morandi/Alamy

In Tulum, the jewel of Mexico’s Riviera Maya , where ancient ruins perch above white-sand beaches frequented by Hollywood stars , a rapidly growing district of luxury condominiums looms above a barrio made up of homes inhabited mostly by local Indigenous people.

The 12,000-strong community who live in the 137-hectare (340-acre) hamlet of 2 de Octubre are facing eviction as developers forge ahead with plans to build on land sold by the Quintana Roo state government to meet demand for high-end property in the popular beach town.

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