Cancun airport to shift VISITAX collection online; tourist fee remains

Quintana Roo plans to end in-person VISITAX collection at Cancun International Airport and move to a digital process following complaints about how travellers were being approached for payment.

The planned change concerns how the state tourist fee is collected, rather than its elimination. Quintana Roo’s official VISITAX portal continues to identify the payment as mandatory for foreign tourists visiting the state.

Governor Mara Lezama said physical collection at the airport should be removed in favour of a digital system, according to Mexican newspaper El Economista.

The announcement follows complaints about pressure on departing passengers and additional charges. The newspaper reported that David Ortiz Mena, president of the Mexican Caribbean Hotel Council, had received reports of airport payment demands more than 80 per cent above the reported 293-peso fee.

Ortiz Mena warned that unexpected charges and negative experiences could damage the destination’s reputation.

Claudia Villuendas, president of the Quintana Roo Vacation and Tourism Complexes Association (Acotur), said the association would review the digital proposal before adopting a formal position, municipal broadcaster Radio Cultural Ayuntamiento de Cancún reported on Nov. 11.

Villuendas acknowledged that approaching travellers facing departure and documentation deadlines could feel invasive. However, she said Acotur had not received formal complaints from its members specifically about the collection.

The reports reviewed did not establish a firm implementation date or explain how any future airport verification system would operate.

For Canadian travel advisors, the immediate message to clients remains that VISITAX is still payable when visiting Quintana Roo, including Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Tulum and Cozumel.

Travellers can pay through the official state VISITAX portal. The site also provides a receipt-recovery option allowing users to download their QR code using their passport number. Advisors can encourage clients to retain a digital copy with their travel documents.

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