An agreement has been signed with cruise ship companies to charge passengers an additional $5.00 USD. That money will be forwarded to the state of Quintana Roo for infrastructure docking improvements in Cozumel and Mahahual.

The new Cruise Tourism Development Fund agreement was signed between the State of Quintana Roo and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Executive Director Michele Paige and Adam Ceserano, President of the Association.

Governor Lezama and Tourism Secretary Bernardo Cueto Riestra also participated in the signing.

With the signing of this agreement, Quintana Roo not only strengthens its position as a top-level cruise destination, but also establishes a model of international collaboration promoting inclusive and sustainable development that, in turn, generates growth in cruise tourism that translates into shared prosperity for the people of Quintana Roo, Lezama explained in a statement.

During the signing ceremony of the agreement, the parties highlighted that the government of Quintana Roo has become a strategic partner of the FCCA to focus even more on the growth of cruise tourism and its benefits for communities, mainly rural ones near Puerto Maya in Mahahual in the south of the state.

As part of the agreement, it was established that, in the first half of 2025, a fund will be created with equal contributions from the FCCA and the Government of Quintana Roo.

The contribution scheme to the Fund will be equal and will consist of $5 USD per passenger applied to itineraries of cruise lines that arrive in Quintana Roo, regardless of whether they make more than one stopover at the destination.

A Technical Committee that will work permanently will oversee the transparency and operation of the Trust Fund. The Committee will be composed of four representatives of cruise lines, four representatives of the state government and one vote of the Governor of the State of Quintana Roo, in total, nine members.