New Environmental Fee for all Hotel Guests in Cancun on March 1

New Environmental Fee for all Hotel Guests in Cancun on March 1

Members due to travel to Royal Resorts this year should be aware of a new municipal green tax that comes into effect on March 1, 2019. As part of its work to protect the environment, the Benito Juarez (Cancun) Municipal Government will begin charging an Environmental Sanitation Fee to all hotel and resort guests in Cancun, including members and guests staying at Royal Resorts.

In accordance with Municipal Finance Laws, the Environmental Sanitation Fee that will be charged to your account at check out is as follows:

Room:                                                $25.35 pesos per night

Suite                                                   $25.35 pesos per night

Villa (2-bedroom)                           $50.70 pesos per night

This is the equivalent of just under US$19 for a week’s stay in a two-bedroom villa. This fee is not covered by the annual Club Service Fee for Royal Resorts members or by the REFINE All-Inclusive room rate.

What will the taxes be used for?

The proceeds from this new Green Fee will be used to contribute to environmental protection and sanitation initiatives in Cancun, such as:

• Beach cleaning
• Water treatment
• Waste collection
• Reduction of carbon emissions with LED lighting
• Reef conservation
• Coastal wetland management
• Reforestation and other programs geared towards making Cancun a more sustainable destination

Why is an Environmental Tax needed?

The white sand beaches and coral reefs of the Mexican Caribbean are world-famous; its jungles and wetlands are home to rare species of birds and animals. Yet visitor numbers and population growth are outpacing public services and placing pressure on area ecosystems. More action is needed to improve water treatment and waste management for the health of the environment. The new Green Fee charged by the Benito Juarez Municipal Government will be used for such programs.

In the Riviera Maya, the Solidaridad Municipal Government began charging an Environmental Sanitation Fee to all hotel guests in Playa del Carmen and the surrounding area in the fall of 2017. The Puerto Morelos municipal government also introduced an eco tax for hotel guests on January 1, 2019.

Worldwide, popular tourist destinations ranging from Barcelona to the Maldives have implemented similar green taxes.