Tulum, a beautiful and popular vacation destination located on the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is known for its stunning beaches, ancient Mayan ruins, and vibrant nightlife. However, the rapid development of the area has had a major impact on the region’s wildlife and natural environment.
In recent years, Tulum has seen a surge in aggressive construction projects, with developers building hotels, resorts, and other tourist facilities at an alarming rate, these constructions have a number of negative effects on the area’s wildlife and natural environment.
Covid-19 Tourism boom
Mexico was one of the fewest countries to not close its borders to tourists and the unvaccinated, making it a prime destination, Tulum had a huge influx of tourists in 2020 & 2021 and business was booming all year around, local businesses and real estate agencies booked record profits pushing every landowner, contractor and real estate promoter to build and get a piece of the pie.
However this did not go according to their place as the demand have dramatically slow down, tourists looking to newer, cheaper and closer destinations and price of real estate declining on the global market, resulting in multiple projects abandonment and lose of confidence in the real estate market, current supply is higher than demand and those who bought apartments are listing them for sale at lesser price.
Aggressive building negative effect
The construction of new buildings and facilities has led to the deforestation and destruction of natural habitats of the many species of animals that call Tulum home, including jaguars, ocelots, pumas, and a wide variety of birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
Furthermore, the influx of tourists and the resulting development has led to increased pollution and over-extraction of natural resources, which in turn, has had a negative impact on the health of the local ecosystem, including the delicate coral reefs that surround Tulum.
Overall, the aggressive construction has had a major negative impact on the region’s wildlife and natural environment. In order to protect the beauty and biodiversity of this unique area, it is important for developers to take a more sustainable approach to construction and for tourists to be mindful of their impact on the local ecosystem.
Nature is still strong
Despite the aggressive construction, nature has proven to be resilient, many species of animals and plants continue to thrive in the area. The coral reefs, in particular, have shown a remarkable ability to recover from the damage caused by pollution., additionally, conservation efforts and protected areas have helped to preserve some of the region’s natural beauty and biodiversity.
