After months of insecurity on Chiapas’ roads and tourist centers during 2024, hundreds of tourists began arriving at the state’s beaches during this Easter holiday period.
For months, the roads were unsafe, mainly due to constant clashes between rival organized crime groups at various points along the highways. Criminals even assaulted and robbed tourists, taking their vehicles and then using them for criminal purposes.
For this reason, people stayed away from tourist centers for fear of becoming victims of crime, and those who did risk traveling did so fearfully.
“We all knew that insecurity was rife; we had to find a strategic time to travel and not expose ourselves to the insecurity affecting our state,” says Freda Acero, a tourist from Chiapas who had to travel in constant fear. This situation, which prevailed for many months, negatively impacted the restaurant sector on beaches like Puerto Arista in the municipality of Tonalá.
“We didn’t feel safe, we were afraid, and that affected the sector greatly. We ran out of money,” says René Lara, a restaurateur in Puerto Arista.
In 2025, after constant operations by state and federal forces in the state of Chiapas, criminal groups stopped engaging in confrontations, and now there is a greater sense of calm, leading tourists to begin visiting the resorts.
“Canine units, cavalry, Pakales, state police, and preventive police have been deployed to protect citizens and give them the confidence to come to the beach,” says Rogelio Zepeda, commander of security forces in the Tonalá region. Thus, visitors are now flocking to places like Playa del Sol, Playa Linda, Madresal, Punta Flor, among others, where they can enjoy the beaches alongside the region’s gastronomy.
“We are doing this for the safety of Chiapas. We are here to support you at all times. We are here to assist you in any situation or question,” says Rogelio Zepeda, indicating that they have deployed a robust security operation.
According to data from the Ministry of Tourism, nearly 300,000 people visited Chiapas’ beaches last year alone. This year, however, this number is expected to double, given the diverse security and economic conditions that encourage tourists to visit tourist centers. This will make this holiday season a significant boost for various tourism sectors.
Source: milenio
