10 Reasons to Invest in Yucatán
Yucatán is known for its Gulf of Mexico beaches and Mayan ruins. Famed Chichén Itzá encompasses a massive pyramid, ball court and stone temples. Other Mayan sites include Ek Balam, noted for well preserved sculptures, and Uxmal, with its intricate carved facades.
SOURCE: Ministry of Economic Development for the State of Yucatán
By: Thomas Wolff, Mérida, Yucatán, México
Tel: (+52) 9991 09 11 58
Email: wolfftho@gmail.com
1. Strategic location in south-eastern Mexico
Yucatan borders the Gulf of Mexico to the north and west, with 378 km. of beautiful white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters; it borders Campeche to the southwest, and Quintana Roo to the east and southwest. Merida, the state capital, is the hub of the most-developed business, financial, technology, medical and educational services in the southeast.
In addition, Yucatan has an important advantage due to its proximity to Cancun and the Riviera Maya. This opens an excellent opportunity for companies that set up business in Yucatan, providing an opportunity to be hotel, restaurant, shop and shopping mall suppliers for the area, taking further advantage that installation and operation costs in Yucatan are less than in those regions with high tourist traffic.
2. Considered the safest state in Mexico
It is the safest state in Mexico. Unfortunately, when one hears people talking about Mexico these days, the first thing that springs to mind for a foreigner is unsafe conditions. The fact is that, although there are states in the country with a high level of unsafe conditions, Yucatecans are proud to say that Yucatan, far removed from being one of those states, is even located hundreds of kms. from them.
Yucatan is the safest state of the country, according to the National Survey on Unsafe Conditions (June 2021) (Encuesta Nacional Sobre Inseguridad, or ENSU in Spanish). The index of unsafe conditions in our state is much lower than any other city or place in America and even less than many cities in the United States.
3. Job stability and skilled manpower
Currently the state of Yucatan offers eleven Associate Degree (or Higher Technical Degree) level programs, 221 Bachelor’s Degree programs, 18 Bachelor’s Degree in Education programs, and 100 postgraduate programs.
Source: Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan : Rankings, Fees & Courses Details | Top Universities
Source: All 6 Universities in Merida | Rankings & Reviews 2021 (universityguru.com)
In addition to its skilled workforce, Yucatan offers cheap labour, as it is located in the area of the country offering the lowest minimum wage. With rising labour prices in China, entrepreneurs and investors (in particular those from North America) have once again set their sights on Yucatan, becoming yet one more reason to make the region a compelling place for setting up their businesses.
Source: Mexico Minimum Wage – World Minimum Wage Rates 2021 (minimum-wage.org)
Source: Mexico to Increase Minimum Wage by 15% on January 1 – The Yucatan Times
Source: Employment in Mexico – Yucatan Expatriate Services Yucatan Expatriate Services
4. The Port of Progreso for export and import
Progreso is the most important port in the state, the gateway from anywhere in the world. The base of an important fishing industry and thanks to its impressive Puerto de Altura (a viaduct which delves into the sea some 6.5 km gaining depth and thus enabling large ships to dock), Progreso is a strategic center for exporters and importers, as well as for the arrival of cruise ships.
Source: PUERTO DE PROGRESO. Administración Portuaria Integral de Progreso. (puertosyucatan.com)
Source: Progreso – APM Terminals
5. First-world flight connection network
Yucatan has two airports: Merida’s International Airport “Lic. Manuel Crescencio Rejon y Alcala” is the most important due to the number of passengers it transports and the cargo it handles; the second airport is the recently reopened Chichen Itza International Airport, located in Kaua Yucatan, close to the archaeological site of Chichen Itza.
Yucatan has two direct international flights: one to Miami and one to Houston, the latter is a city from where a traveller can make a connection to virtually anywhere on the map. As if this were not enough, with less than a 2-hour flight to Mexico City, one can connect to not only anywhere in the country but also the world; and 3.5 hours from Merida is the Cancun International Airport where there is an infinite number of direct international flights.
6. Land availability
In Merida as well as other areas of the state you can find a variety of colonial homes and residential developments with all the utilities available (water, electricity, telephone, cable, Internet, etc.). Some of these are private and include parks, golf courses and access to exclusive commercial complexes.
Source: Why Invest in Yucatan – Own Mexico
One of the most recent and exclusive residential developments is the Yucatan Country Club, a real estate project that envisages the construction of homes, artificial lakes, an 18-hole golf course, a PGA-standard Nicklaus Design golf academy (the first of its kind in Latin America), a 5-star hotel and a shopping mall.
Source: Yucatan Country Club (vivecountry.mx)
Source: Yucutan Country Club – Golf in Mexico near Merida (next-golf.com)
In addition to housing and residential developments, there is also land available both in Merida and on the outskirts of the city, as well as in other municipalities of the state.
Source: Yucatan Lands: Properties for sale a round to Valladolid, Yucatan, Mx
Source: Land for Sale in Yucatan – Find Nearby Lots for Sale | Point2 (point2homes.com)
7. An abundance of natural resources
Our state has exotic and beautiful natural attractions, including an extensive beach coastline, from Celestun to El Cuyo. There is a great diversity of flora and fauna, like the famous flamingos; caves such as Loltun and Calcehtok; and the cenotes (underground rivers), reservoirs of fresh, crystal-clear water.
Source: 10 Best Merida Mexico Beaches in the Yucatan Peninsula (traveltomerida.com)
Source: Loltun Cave – Wikipedia
Source: Yucatán – Adventure and nature – Calcehtok Caves | Yucatán.Travel (yucatan.travel)
Source: Yucatán – What to do – Adventure and nature – Yucatán.Travel (yucatan.travel)
All this makes Yucatan the ideal place to spend entire seasons resting and relaxing, or exploring and venturing on an ecotourism tour.
8. A quality of life that is unsurpassable in the country
There is no rush in Yucatan. Life is relished in a very different way than in the cosmopolitan cities in the central region of the country, away from the stress and noise that characterise them. But at the same time, this peace integrates perfectly with an infrastructure of educational and health services unparalleled in the southeast region.
Source: Study by UN-Habitat, Infonavit ranks Mérida No. 1 for quality of life (mexiconewsdaily.com)
Yucatan boasts a wide network of financial services, as well as cultural activities, recreation areas and a wide variety of options to meet the consumer needs of the citizens, like for example, the wide variety of car dealerships that exists in Merida.
9. Access to international markets and export products
Yucatan is the closest point in Mexico to Europe as well as a natural platform for shipping goods to Central America and South America.
Moreover, as mentioned above, the Port of Progreso, which is just 32 km from the city of Merida, opens the door to the world and allows receiving and shipping of all kinds of products for import and export.
10. State support to facilitate setting up new companies
The Ministry of Economic Development offers various incentives and help or assistance targeted at investors interested in the state, including the following:
- Assistance/Service for investors visiting with a business agenda;
- Liaison with local businesses to purchase supplies/raw materials;
- Management facilities for searching and obtaining land and industrial buildings;
- Orientation and management for obtaining federal, state and municipal permits;
- Advisory services on funding and government support programs for industrial development;
- Promotion and organisation for attending national and international events;
- Other support according to the investment project.