Quintana Roo, the Future of Investments in Mexico with 15 Innovative Projects

The Institute for the Development and Financing of the State reported that, during the first quarter of 2019, Quintana Roo captured 111 million dollars of foreign investment — 34% of the total achieved in 2018. The economic outlook is encouraging: an income of two billion dollars is expected between 2019 and 2021 in foreign direct investment.

Why Quintana Roo Stands Out

The factors investors value are concrete: strategic geographic location, cultural diversity, business opportunities, airport infrastructure, transparency in project processes and legal certainty. Investors from the United States, Canada, Spain and France have set their sights on the state with development plans ranging from mega-resorts and vacation homes to shopping centers, hospitals and the modernization of theme parks and operating hotels.

In October 2019, Quintana Roo hosted the 17th Mexico Business Summit, which served as a networking platform to strengthen the local entrepreneurial vision and announce 15 projects projected to attract major investment.

The 15 Projects Driving the Future

1. Paradisus Playa Mujeres

Hotel from the Meliá chain, ten minutes from Isla Blanca. Wide gastronomic variety, spa, gym, private butlers, and the "Nature Included" concept so guests can relax in open gardens.

2. Catalonia Costa Mujeres

Resort with two pools, six themed restaurants, five food courts, spa, gym, shops, kids club, theater and disco. The fifth Catalonia in the Riviera Maya.

3. Majestic Elegance Playa Mujeres

Majestic Resorts entered Mexico in 2019 with a five-star complex featuring 570 rooms, spa, gym, jacuzzi, theater, club and nightclub.

4. Sunscape Star Cancún

AMResorts targets families: an Explorer's Children's Club for kids, a Youth Core Zone for teens, and a surf pool.

5. Sunscape Akumal Beach Resort & Spa

Located near the archaeological zones of Tulum and Cobá. 350 rooms and suites designed to enjoy the natural richness of the surroundings.

6. Canopy by Hilton Cancún La Isla

First Canopy in Mexico, second in Latin America. 175 rooms inside the largest shopping plaza in Cancún.

7. Now Natura Riviera Cancún

AMResorts again. 556 rooms, water park, lazy river, waterfalls, and a spa designed to evoke the regional cenotes.

8. Gamma Cancún Downtown

Opened mid-2019, perfectly located between the hotel zone and public beaches. Restaurants, pool and meeting rooms.

9. Palmïa

Aiming to become a benchmark for sustainable luxury. Located in Playacar, Playa del Carmen — 314 ocean-front suites, a 700-meter private beach and a jungle spa.

10. Barceló Maya Riviera

850 rooms, spa, pool, five bars and five restaurants. A traditional all-inclusive comfort proposition.

11. KASA Hotel Riviera Maya

Luxury boutique hotel in Puerto Aventuras. Marina activities and the Tom Lehman-designed golf course are key attractions.

12. Senator Riviera Cancún Spa Resort

Spanish chain Senator opens this 5-star property in 2020 with 1,044 rooms — major capacity for international tourism.

13. High Specialty Hospital

Canadian company K&A signed an agreement for a historic $240M investment in Chetumal, including a Canadian-standard rehabilitation center and a residential complex for retirement-age communities.

14. The Mayan Train

Crossing five Mexican states with 15 tourist destinations in the southeast. It will boost real estate, generate jobs, drive the regional economy and develop infrastructure with basic services for residents.

15. Airports

The Southeast Airport Group (Asur) committed an investment plan of 6,164.1 million pesos for 2019-2023 across the Cancún and Cozumel airports — including the expansion of Cancún's Terminal 1 and a new airport hotel.

In summary

Quintana Roo is no longer a single-asset destination. The pipeline above shows a state diversifying across luxury hospitality, healthcare, infrastructure and aviation — the kind of multi-vector growth that historically supports long-term real estate appreciation.