Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day Mexico private cruise destination in Mahahual will not move forward after officials rejected the development due to environmental concerns.
According to Reuters, Environment Minister Alicia Barcena told reporters that the $600 million project "is not going to be approved" on Tuesday, one day after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed concerns over the sprawling site, which would be able to accommodate as many as 21,000 guests per day.
"We must not do anything that affects that area, which has a very important ecological balance, and is particularly important for the reefs," she said at a press conference this week.
The project, which was to be similar to Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, was planned to include pools, bars, beach clubs and dozens of water slides and debut in the fall of 2027.
The cruise giant told Reuters it regretted the decision but respected it and will continue to work with Mexican officials on future development.
A village of roughly 3,000 people on Mexico's southern Caribbean coast, Mahahual is renowned for its pristine natural beauty and proximity to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which supports an abundance of wildlife.
A growing number of people protested the project in recent weeks, signing petitions and pressuring the Mexican government to turn down Royal Caribbean's proposal.
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