Playa del Carmen is a tale of two cities and two cultures - one for tourists and one for locals.  

Explosive development and population growth without adequate infrastructure and services has created an overflowing pipeline of unmet needs.

The tourist area is huge, beautiful, and requires many workers.  The local area is gritty, poor, crowded, and has very few jobs.  There are no manufacturing businesses or other economic opportunities which require jobs. The tourist areas are the #1 economic engine for Playa del Carmen and the surrounding areas that have grown up around Playa. 

Why such astronomical growth?  

What drew all the people here?

The Riviera Maya was established as a tourist area by the Federal government when Cancun was designated as the “tourist capital’ of Mexico in 1971. It’s a 100+ mile long strip of land from Cancun to Tulum. 

The rapid development of the area by tourist attractions, gigantic resorts and the ocean drew tourists by the millions. 

Unfortunately, there was no local population living in the area to staff the tourist areas and a call was put out to other states and cities in all of Mexico for workers. 

In Mexico at that time, jobs were scarce (some put the number at 50%) making this area attractive to lots of workers.  Many landed in Playa del Carmen.  They came by bus or any other means, but they all came without two things: an education or job skills.

Playa del Carmen is a NEW city.

Playa del Carmen turned 20 years old just this past July.  The city started in the late 1980s when the Cozumel ferry dock was installed along the eastern shore of the state of Quintana Roo. The area was called Solidaridad. Only a few thousand Mayans lived in the area.  

In 1991, there were about 11,000 Mayans making it their home and most worked as fishermen. 

In 2002, there were about 41,000 inhabitants here.  

By 2012, there were 157,000 residents!  (This was the last year a census was taken.)

In 2025, there were an estimated 400-450,000 residents!