Following a visit by the federal Secretary of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, the Campeche City Council closed the Hotel Edzná, part of the Maya Train project, located one kilometer from the archaeological site of the same name.
The state Secretary of Tourism, Adda Solís Peniche, had announced the federal official’s arrival to oversee private activities.
The hotel has been temporarily closed since yesterday while representatives of the state-owned company comply with requirements set by the Campeche City Council, including land use and civil protection permits, according to sources within the State Government and the City Council who spoke to the Mexican Editorial Organization (OEM).
The municipal government is headed by Biby Rabelo de la Torre, a member of the Citizens’ Movement (MC) party, and an associate of Eliseo Fernández Montúfar, who has outstanding state arrest warrants for the alleged crimes of embezzlement of public funds and money laundering, although he is currently a member of the party’s national leadership.
It should be noted that in Campeche, on July 4, 2024, the State Public Works Law was amended to create the category of “high-impact public works of state interest.” Since that date, projects receiving this designation are exempt from obtaining building permits or municipal licenses, as was the case with the construction and commissioning of the Light Rail, which, like the Hotel Edzná, is part of the Maya Train system.
The Mundo Maya Group, which owns the Hotel Edzná, described the closure of the 160-room property as temporary.
“Our main priority is the safety, well-being, and quality experience of all our visitors (…) Following a routine review of our facilities and internal processes in conjunction with local authorities, we have made the decision to temporarily suspend operations.”
This suspension “is being implemented to ensure the hotel’s operations comply with municipal regulations, thus guaranteeing that future operations meet the most rigorous safety and excellence standards that distinguish Grupo Mundo Maya Hotels.”
The company also announced that “all guests with affected reservations will be contacted directly by our customer service team to coordinate a full refund.”
Affected guests will also have the option of relocating to any of the other five exclusive hotels in the region, but “subject to availability.”
“This closure is temporary and its sole objective is to ensure that the Hotel Mundo Maya Edzná reopens as an even safer and more exceptional destination,” the company added in a statement.
“We remind you that our other five hotels continue to operate normally and await you with the warmth and service characteristic of our group,” the statement emphasized.
The Hotel Mundo Maya Edzná began operating in September 2014 as part of the tourism infrastructure linked to the Maya Train.
The hotel was built on section 1 of the Maya Train project by the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) through its General Directorate of Engineers, which was responsible for the developments associated with the project. Construction was carried out by Mota Engil.
The hotel belongs to the Olmeca-Maya-Mexica Airport, Railway, Auxiliary Services and Related Group (GAFSACOMM), a majority state-owned company under the Sedena umbrella, which operates under the Hoteles Grupo Mundo Maya brand.
The complex has 160 rooms, parking, a restaurant, common areas, and services geared towards visitors to the Edzná archaeological zone.
The name of the ancient Maya city comes from the Itzá lineage: Ytzná / Edzná: “House of the Itzá.” It is located 55 km southeast of the city of Campeche. It can be reached via Federal Highways 180 and 261. From Champotón, via Haltunchén and Hool, and continuing east; or from Campeche, passing through Chiná and Tixmucuy, according to the federal government.
Visitors can reach the site by public transportation or tourist vans provided by hotels, from Campeche, and walk about 300 meters to the entrance.
Source: oem
