Xcaret is celebration but honestly I don’t like their changes
Xcaret is celebrating 35 years, but has anyone else noticed how much the park has changed?
Xcaret is celebrating its 35th anniversary, and as someone who lives in Quintana Roo and has been able to visit the park regularly thanks to my annual pass, I’ve been watching many of these changes happen little by little.
First, I want to make something very clear: I still think Xcaret is an incredible place and one of the most important cultural and tourism attractions in Mexico. This isn’t a post saying that the park is bad or that people shouldn’t visit. Quite the opposite. I think that’s exactly why some of these changes are so noticeable and, honestly, a little sad to see.
Over the last few years, Xcaret has had to make changes that, from my perspective as a frequent visitor, seem to be connected to legal and political circumstances surrounding the way Mayan culture and Mexican cultural heritage are represented.
For example, some names inside the park have changed. What was traditionally known as Pueblo Maya is now referred to as Aldea de Artesanos.
Again, I understand that businesses sometimes have to adapt to legal circumstances. But for those of us who have known Xcaret for years, these changes can feel like little pieces of the identity of the park are slowly disappearing.
One of the changes that has affected me the most is actually much more visual.
For years, the entrance to Xcaret was strongly associated with the colorful macaws and flamingos welcoming visitors. The macaws, in particular, have always been one of the park’s most recognizable symbols.
Now, many of the macaws that used to be visible around the entrance and other areas of the park have been moved or relocated, making them much harder to see.
And I want to clarify something: I’m not talking about interacting with the animals or treating them like props. I’m talking about simply being able to see them and appreciate their beauty from a respectful distance, and yes, being able to take a photograph of one of the animals that has become so iconic to Xcaret.
For someone who has visited the park for years, that change is surprisingly emotional.
Another interesting example is Xoximilco.
The attraction is now officially marketed as XOXI on the website and in current promotional materials.
My understanding is that Xochimilco in Mexico City has protected cultural heritage status, so I can understand why the company might want to avoid another complicated situation surrounding the use of the name. But again, seeing the name change is another reminder of how much the park has had to adapt.
And honestly, I think there is an important conversation here.
Xcaret has spent decades promoting not only Mayan culture, but Mexican culture as a whole to millions of visitors from around the world. Whatever anyone thinks about Grupo Xcaret as a company, there is no denying the enormous tourism infrastructure they have built and the number of people whose jobs depend on it.
So I find it interesting that a company whose entire concept is based so heavily on Mexican cultural heritage is now having to be increasingly careful about how it presents and even names those cultural elements.
Maybe these changes are necessary. Maybe they are simply part of the evolution of the park. Maybe I’m too attached to the version of Xcaret I first knew.
But as someone who lives here and has watched the park evolve over the years, I can’t help feeling that some of the original essence is slowly being diluted.
And perhaps that’s the most interesting part of Xcaret’s 35th anniversary. It’s not just a celebration of how far the park has come, but also a moment to ask what we want Xcaret to preserve for the next 35 years.
Has anyone else who has been visiting Xcaret for many years noticed these changes?
Do you think the park is simply evolving, or do you feel that some of its original identity is being lost?
I’d genuinely love to hear perspectives from locals, frequent visitors, and people who have visited Xcaret over different periods of its history.
