Background on Foatqroo and its Role
Foatqroo, or the Trust for the Development of Tourism Activities in Quintana Roo, has taken over the responsibility of maintaining Cancun’s hotel zone from Fonatur (the National Tourism Development Fund) in 2024. This transition occurred as the federal government stepped away from CIP (Integrated Planned Centers) maintenance tasks.
Reduced Budget for Maintenance
Starting in 2025, the Quintana Roo government will absorb the cost of maintaining the hotel zone. However, Foatqroo’s budget for these tasks is 50% less than the last budget allocated to Fonatur for similar work.
Foatqroo’s President Explains the Plan
Ricardo Archundia, Foatqroo’s operating president, outlined their plan for the upcoming three years:
- Annual Investment: Approximately 100 million pesos per year will be invested in maintenance activities.
- Duration: These investments will be carried out over a period of around 2 years and 7 months.
- Total Investment: The overall investment for various activities is projected to be roughly 286 million pesos annually.
This means that, for the next three years, the Quintana Roo government will have to stretch its limited budget to perform the same maintenance functions previously handled by Fonatur.
Decreasing Budget Over Time
By 2027, the allocated resource will further decrease to only 86 million pesos, which is 55% of the budget Fonatur dedicated to hotel zone maintenance until 2024.
Planned Maintenance Projects
Archundia announced several projects Foatqroo intends to undertake in the coming three years:
- Renewal of public transport stops
- Replacement of 1,720 streetlights along Bulevar Kukulcán, including the cycling path, with modern and new luminaries
- Rehabilitation of existing traffic signals and potential installation or relocation of additional signals based on mobility studies
- Drainage improvements in critical areas to reduce flooding time during rainfall, which has already shown positive results
- Implementation of a QR code system at transport stops, in collaboration with the Tourism Secretariat, to enable citizens to report issues and receive assistance from the Tourism Police
Key Questions and Answers
- What is Foatqroo? Foatqroo is the Trust for the Development of Tourism Activities in Quintana Roo, which has assumed responsibility for maintaining Cancun’s hotel zone from Fonatur.
- Why is Foatqroo receiving less funding? The Quintana Roo government’s budget for Foatqroo’s maintenance tasks is 50% less than what Fonatur previously allocated for similar work.
- What projects will Foatqroo undertake? Planned projects include renewing public transport stops, upgrading street lighting, rehabilitating traffic signals, improving drainage, and implementing a QR code system for reporting issues.
