While promoting the film Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Angelina Jolie needed a suite with an exclusive infinity pool. The request arrived at the offices of a hotel in Cancún with little time left. The solution: join three or four rooms to create the property’s most expensive suite, one that costs over US$2,000 per night. The actress settled in, enjoyed her private pool, and left. The hotel kept the suite. Today, any guest can reserve it if they’re willing to pay the price.
The anecdote illustrates a broader transformation in the Mexican Caribbean. Luxury tourism is no longer just about beach and sun. It’s now about extreme personalization, cultural experiences, and anticipated service. While the mass market competes with all-inclusive options, the premium segment is betting on offerings that blend art, haute cuisine, and a connection to the local culture.
From party to museum
In Cancún’s Hotel Zone, some hotels operate as art galleries. Contemporary works hang in hallways, sculptures decorate gardens, and the design prioritizes an Instagrammable aesthetic. The strategy: attract a tourist profile looking for experiences, not just relaxation.
Kempinski, the oldest European hotel chain in the world founded in 1897, operates a property in the area with this concept.
“If you’re looking for punchy punchy parties, don’t go there. If you’re looking for tranquility, quality service, and gastronomic excellence, you have to go there,” explains Conrad Bergwerf, its General Manager, in an interview with Forbes.
The competition is intensifying. St. Regis has already opened in the area. Ritz-Carlton returns in 2027 with a multi-million-dollar investment. “There’s a return to luxury tourism,” confirms the executive. The properties compete with differentiated services: red-clad waiters available to all guests, internationally acclaimed restaurants, and spas with treatments based on Mayan traditions.
The Demanding Tourist
Jessica Chablé, Executive of Fairs and Events for the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council (CPTQ), describes the change in the visitor profile:
“Now tourists don’t just want to be served food, but also want to know what type of food it is, how good it is, if it has any prizes, if it’s organic. There is already a much more demanding and detailed public.”
Social media accelerated this transformation. The pandemic consolidated the digital age and changed priorities. “How do you get to a place? How do you choose it? Through comments, photos, influencers. It has to have Instagrammable places that give you a memorable memory you can share with your friends,” explains Chablé.
Immersive experiences are becoming key. Some hotels, like Kempinski, offer tours to Mayan communities where guests interact gastronomically with the local culture. They also organize whale shark sightings between May and August, or experiences with tiger sharks during their gestation period. The goal: to connect with the indigenous nature of the destination.
Market Numbers
Around 100,000 to 150,000 Argentines visit Cancún each year, according to the CPTQ (Central Tourism Board). In the luxury segment, however, the numbers are lower. Kempinski, for example, acknowledges that Argentines represent barely 1% of its clientele.
The main market remains North America and Canada: they represent around 70% of the total luxury hotel market. Mexico accounts for around 20%, and the rest of the world makes up 10%, according to the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council based on data from the National Migration Institute.
“Argentina would be among the top three Latin American countries with the most visitors,” Chablé clarifies. But the challenge for hotel chains is to capture more of this market. Some are focusing on social media and digital marketing strategies. “If we can go from 1% to 2%, that’s a success for me,” the executive comments.
Quintana Roo generated an economic impact of US$21 billion in 2024, driven by tourism, according to state government data. The infrastructure includes four international airports and air connectivity with 134 global cities.
Expansion and Opportunities
International chains are seeking to expand in Latin America with selective strategies. Some prioritize cities like Buenos Aires and São Paulo, and look for iconic properties with stories to tell. When asked about plans in Argentina, the responses are cautious but positive. There is interest, but negotiations are in the preliminary stages.
Prices at hotels like Kempinski start at US$700 per night and can exceed US$2,000 for exclusive suites. For those who choose these hotels as wedding venues, costs start at US$1 million for decoration alone.
Luxury tourism in Cancún has changed. A room with an ocean view is no longer enough. The new standard includes art, cultural connection, and services that anticipate desires before the guest even asks for them.
Source: es-us.noticias.yahoo.
