Once you swim back to shore and towel off, the fantasy of the untouched Tulum begins to fade. This patch of the Caribbean has been an ancient Maya trading hub, a quiet fishing village, a bohemian paradise and a vacation spot for celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Paris Hilton. Today it retains elements of all these identities, plus a newer one: mainstream tourism hub.
The once-remote jungle became more accessible last year with the opening of a new train line and international airport, which recorded its one millionth passenger this November. The 2020 census recorded Tulum's population at 46,721 residents - up 65 percent from 2010 - and local officials project a 447 percent population increase by 2050.
As major infrastructure projects near completion, the governor of Quintana Roo has declared a 'New Era of Tourism' in the Mexican Caribbean, celebrating the rapid development of Tulum as a tremendous success. For many locals, the story of the city's growth is more complicated.
More tourism brings more income, but that has come at a cost to the environment. Fragments of trash stick out from piles of seaweed, highlighting the tension between economic growth and ecological preservation.
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