Cancun’s Controversial Visitax Faces Calls For Elimination As Airport Fee Complaints Mount

A controversial tax on international visitors to Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean is facing renewed scrutiny, with a Mexican federal lawmaker calling for its elimination while state authorities respond to complaints about inflated charges at airport payment kiosks at CUN.

Visitax, imposed by the state of Quintana Roo, currently costs approximately C$22 per foreign visitor. The mandatory charge applies to international tourists visiting destinations including Cancun, Riviera Maya and Tulum, and is separate from Mexico’s federal tourism fee, generally included in international airline tickets. 

A similar fee exists in Baja California del Sur, the state home to Los Cabos. Its implementation has been chaotic and confusing, similar to the one in Quintana Roo.

Ernesto Sánchez Rodríguez, a federal deputy representing the opposition National Action Party (PAN), is calling on the Quintana Roo government to eliminate the tax, describing it as an “unfair burden” on travellers at a time when tourism businesses are facing challenges.

According to Riviera Maya News & Events, Sánchez also wants a special commission of the state Congress to investigate how much money Visitax generates and where the revenue is being spent.

The lawmaker has raised concerns about fraudulent websites collecting payments from tourists, adding to confusion surrounding the tax.

Airport Collection Practices Under Review

Meanwhile, Quintana Roo authorities are reviewing how Visitax is collected following social media complaints from travellers who say they were charged more than the official rate at Cancun International Airport.

According to The Cancun Sun, some airport payment kiosks allegedly added convenience fees, processing charges or unfavourable currency conversion rates to the mandatory state tax.

The complaints prompted the Quintana Roo Tourism Secretariat (Sedetur), working with the state’s Finance and Planning Secretariat (Sefiplan), to review collection procedures.

Tourism Secretary Bernardo Cueto Riestra said authorities were responding to the online criticism, although his department had not received formal complaints through official administrative channels.

The state has reportedly closed several problematic payment kiosks and is examining collection procedures at Tulum International Airport to prevent similar issues.

Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa has indicated that Visitax will remain in place, while emphasizing the need for an orderly and transparent collection process that does not negatively affect the visitor experience.

Where Does the Money Go?

The debate extends beyond the amount tourists pay.

Visitax is established under Article 51-Octies of Quintana Roo’s Law of Rights, but the legislation does not specifically earmark the revenue for tourism promotion, beach maintenance, sargassum management or other designated programs.

The reporting also found no separately identified Visitax revenue figure in the state’s published 2026 income law.

By comparison, Quintana Roo’s separate cruise-passenger charge includes provisions allocating revenue to disaster and health emergency funding, infrastructure, tourism development and public safety.

Sánchez is seeking greater transparency around Visitax collections and expenditures.

What Canadian Travel Advisors Should Know

Despite the political debate, Visitax remains mandatory. No decision has been made to repeal the charge.

Travel advisors should remind clients that the state tax is separate from Mexico’s federal non-resident fee, estimated at just under C$75 in 2026 and generally collected through international airfares.

Travellers can pay Visitax before departure using the official government website, and retain their digital receipt as proof of payment.

Using the official portal can help avoid third-party processing charges and potentially fraudulent payment websites.

The law also provides exemptions for foreign visitors entering Quintana Roo through its southern border and cruise passengers who have already paid the state’s separate cruise-passenger charge.

For now, the key message for Canadian travellers is that Visitax remains in effect, even as the debate over its future and collection practices continues.