Cruise Lines Fear Mexico Tourism Impact from New Immigration Fees

U.S. cruise lines have expressed concerns that the introduction of immigration fees for passengers could deter future investment in Mexico. The Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) has sent a letter to Claudia Sheinbaum, warning that the proposed $42 (840 Mexican pesos) fee could lead to cruise companies changing their itineraries to avoid docking in Mexico from 2025 onwards. This change could significantly impact Quintana Roo, where a cruise tax agreed upon over a year ago is also set to come into effect in 2025.

The FCCA's letter, which was reported by the Financiero and several national media outlets, warns that the proposed fee could jeopardize developments and projects aimed at rebuilding tourist destinations such as Acapulco. The FCCA states that several cruise companies are already considering significant changes to their itineraries to avoid docking in Mexico in 2025.

The FCCA also raised concerns about the lack of clarity regarding how these fees would be charged, especially for passengers who have already paid for their trips for the next year. This follows the approval of reforms to the Rights Law of 2025 by the Chamber of Deputies, which removed the exemption for charging cruise passengers, thereby mandating payment per tourist arriving in Mexico via cruise. This could particularly impact Quintana Roo, home to major cruise destinations like Cozumel, which welcomed over 4 million passengers from 1,156 cruises in 2023 and is projected to receive over 4.5 million passengers from 1,273 cruises in 2024, according to data from Apiqroo.

Cruise companies also have significant investment plans in Quintana Roo. For example, Royal Caribbean plans to invest more than $600 million in the Perfect Day Mexico concept, a 90-hectare tourist development exclusively for cruise passengers in the south of the state. This development will also be connected to the Mayan Train. Furthermore, a $5 cruise tax agreed upon with cruise companies over a year ago is set to come into effect in Quintana Roo on January 1, 2025.