"Cancun, a silent death"

Berland Angela ad Alan Gonzalez
Wild Angle Productions

00:27:17
The world-famous Mexican resort of Cancun has become a magnet for global mass tourism.
It's hard to imagine, but only 40 years ago this was a deserted beach.

00:42:16
Today, the coast is dominated by hundreds of resorts, descended upon by 12 million tourists every year.

00:55:10
But behind this extraordinary tourist development lies another story. One of marginalised employees and environmental sacrifice.

01:07:05
1 hour from the hotel zone is the poverty stricken district 240.

01:13:10
Raquel is 27 years old. She has just landed a job as maid in one of the largest hotels on the coast.

01:21:02
Raquel: You have to follow certain rules of hair-styling, and give your image consideration. If you are dishevelled in front of customers, they will think you are just untidy, and wonder how you will be able to arrange a room.

01:39:06
The young women must rigorously prepare for every shift - job vacancies at the hotels are highly sought after.

01:47:10
Raquel: When I put make up on, I have to put the same colour on as my uniform, because if I put pink or a darker colour on, it will look ugly. I have to use colours that can be matched with the colour of my outfit.

02:07:00
Raquel, like many other of the employees, can't afford to live in the centre of Cancun.

02:14:00
Every morning, hotels charter buses that pick them up from the outlying districts.
These women have ethnic Maya roots, and are originally from Yucatan. Their parents moved to Cancun in the 80s to enjoy the tourist boom.

02:35:15
Housekeepers, dishwashers, waiters, sweepers. Mayan employees are often concentrated in low-skilled jobs.

02:48:10
Upstairs, Raquel is beginning one of the most intense workdays of her year. That's because today is the beginning of Spring Break - an American concept that's been exported around the world.  

03:06:00
Anis, 24, is from Paris. He came to celebrate the end of his exams with some friends.

03:13:21
Anis: Everyone benefits! There are no complications, no "what's your name?" No, it's "dance together, laugh together, and go to bed if you like." We don't even know each other!

03:29:18
American: I just met him!

03:33:10
Americans, Canadians, Australians, Spanish and French all mix in a charged atmosphere. What they're looking for is alchohol, 24/7. And anything goes.  

03:59:02
The manager, Julio Perez, does everything he can to keep these young students on site. There are 14 bars and 3 nightclubs in the hotel.

04:09:10
Perez: Our concept of entertainment, if one was to make a comparison, is a cruise on land. The goal of the hotel is to ensure that these young people's holidays are incredible and unforgettable.

04:29:19
American: Yeah!

04:34:00
This coast of the Caribbean is now one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world.

04:41:12
Yet these beaches were completely empty in the 70s. That's when the government - keen to escape an economic crisis - had the ambitious idea to turn it into a high-end resort. The project was funded in part by the World Bank.

04:56:03
Julio:
Originally, Cancun was intended to be an upmarket seaside resort. But in 1988, there was a major hurricane, the cyclone Gilberto, which caused extensive damage to buildings in the city. Rooms which had cost about 300-400 dollars were lowered to 50-70 dollars. After the hurricane; the country had to invent new ways to remain competitive in the market and attract tourists.

05:37:10
The development of mass tourism has created many job opportunities for employees of hotels, like Raquel.

05:45:15
But it also often means more challenging working conditions.

05:49:21
Raquel: When you have normal customers, they leave the room clean, but when it's Spring Breakers, they leave the rooms very dirty.

06:00:13
Raquel: When they urinate, it depends... If they do it in bed, we must change all the sheets, the mattress, everything. Everything is changed.

06:10:16
Raquel: They allow themselves to do what they would never do at home.

06:14:11
Raquel: When you find the room, you can see they have had a party here, because you find condoms that they have inflated into coloured balloons, all over the floor.

06:27:21
Raquel: I had never seen that before.

06:32:15
Working 6 days out of 7, Racquel earns 70 euros per month, the minimum wage in Mexico.
But she has no guarantee of being able to stay here. Each contract of employment is temporary.

06:48:16
Raquel: I can't afford the luxury of missing a day's work. My parents depend on me financially. I am the only one who works and supports the whole family.

07:03:15
While Raquel works, members of her family take it in turns to look after her two children.

07:13:17
Today it is her cousin Landi collecting Raquel's eldest daughter from public school.

07:21:05
Yanderi is 7 years old. She was has a primary education. Her mother wants her to stay in school, because she never haqd the chance.

07:33:20
Landi: All the members of our family are very united. We live here altogether. I grew up with her, and have taken care of her since she was born.

07:46:05
Landi to Yanderi: C'mon, write here.

07:50:07
Landi: It's very complicated for her, because she doesn't know how to read yet. She is 7 years old, in the second class of elementary school. She cannot read.

07:54:20
Landi: I think it's because her parents separated when she was a little girl.

008:00:23
I guess it affected her a lot.

08:04:21
Yanderi: What I would like most is for us to live together as a family.

08:11:09
Landi: Life is hard for us, because we couldn't study. We did not have a career. For us, it is quite difficult.

08:23:21
Julio:
A large part of this population in Cancun working in tourism can only aspire to be waiters, washing tables or making beds. No training is offered to employees. There is also an important discrimination against Mayans regarding their physical appearance. They are smaller, and some regard them as having an unpleasant appearance. They are regarded as second-class people.

09:09:07
At nightfall, tourists venture outside of their hotels, and into the many clubs catering to them.

09:30:00
In Cancun, tourism brings in more than $12 million per year. These revenues benefit very few Mexicans.

09:39:05
The majority of hotels are owned by large US or European groups.

09:51:12
While the party is just beginning for these tourists, employees such as Raquel are returning to the suburbs.

09:59:10
Two worlds intersect, without ever meeting.

10:05:07
Raquel: Have you eaten, Yanderi?

10:16:19
Yanderi: No.

10:07:16
Raquel: Do you want to eat?

10:08:11
Yanderi: Yes.

10:11:20
Raquel will finally be able to spend time with her children, who she has not seen since yesterday evening.

10:18:12
Yanderi:
What are we eating?

10:20:09
Raquel: Fried chicken

10:25:14
Raquel: When I get home, I don't usually like to cook, but time to time I do. But mostly it's my mother who cooks.

10:44:07
Raquel: My father and mother supported me a lot. The children's father does not help me much. But I've told my mother that I don't need him to move forwards.

10:57:23
Raquel has no choice but to live with her parents and share her meagre income. Although this neighbourhood is not the ideal place to raise children:

11:08:15
Raquel: Young people who hang around ride motocycles, steal your bag or spoil everything you have.

11:19:15
And it's in these slums that illegal drug trafficking is organised, for sale to the tourists in the resorts.

11:36:14
The tourists don't get to see the poorer side of Cancun. It's a stark contrast to their world of beaches, hotels and all-inclusive packages.

11:51:24
Tourist "We stay in the hotel, and everything is included. All service is included... The only problem is that this discourages people from leaving the hotel. We don't stay near the local trade. This is the only problem when still in hotels, when you come to Cancun. But that doesn't matter."

12:15:03
Julio:
Tourism in Cancun does not generate economic development. They don't go out to eat in the city of Cancun, where there are also restaurants, boutiques and shops of all kinds. The tourists prefer to stay in their hotels. They eat, drink and live here. The hotel meets all of their needs. This a restaurant, a hotel, shops and transportation. That's all.

12:50:02
Due to competition from all inclusive hotels, many of the town's shops are empty.
In 2013 alone, 250 restaurants closed.
In the streets of Cancun, signs advertise vacant properties.

13:09:09
This Mexican restaurant, past its heyday, is still scraping by.

13:15:14
Waitress: It's sad, because this road used to be busy. Before, tourists came to eat locally. The tourists came to discover something Mexican, something they did not know.

13:27:07
Waitress:  I personally find it sad that all the restaurants have gradually closed. In truth, it's very sad for us.

13:39:19
The collapse of local commerce has eliminated many jobs. Much of the population is impoverished. Out of 700,000 inhabitants, 1/3 of people live a life of insecurity. And the over 40's are often the worst affected.

13:58:16
Mary and Lazaro, Raquel's parents, have been unemployed for many years, only able to earn a small income from selling snacks. For this Maya family, who came to Cancun in hope of a better life,  it's a bitter outcome.

14:13:15
Mary: We arrived in Cancun on April 29th, and we've been living here for 23 years.

14:19:09
Mary: I don't understand why my husband can't find work. They only hire 18 or 25 year olds. My husband has experience - he worked for 7 years at the Grand Oasis Hotel. He has experience in the job. He will be 47 on the 18th of February. Maybe it's his age that prevents him from finding work.  

15:00:19
Mary: Put on your sandals, [or] I'll give you a spanking.

15:08:04
This demographic has been excluded from the tourism sector, with no pension or social protection.
Mary has a stall at the football stadium every fortnight.

15:21:17
Mary: We sell them for 20 pesos (1 euro) per package. Because we pay an entry fee for the same price.

15:40:10
To maximise sales, their son helps.
This is also Raquel's brothers' only income.

16:02:02
Mary: If they score, people eat more.

16:15:20
At halftime, Mary joins her son into the stands.

16:46:21
Mary: We made 50 euros. For 15 days, we haven't sold much. Yes, today is good.

16:58:15
But these low incomes don't allow her husband and son to look beyond than the next day.

17:11:10
Raquel's birthplace is 3 hours drive away from Cancun, forgotten and unspoilt in the Yucatan countryside.

17:24:00
Here, far from mass tourism, the Maya live on corn and crafts.

17:34:04
Raquel can't come home as often as she would like. But today, she visits her family, including her grandfather.

17:46:22
Grandfather: I have lots of grandchildren and great grandchildren. And I live here in my little house. My wife died 2 years ago. And I remain here alone, it's sad.

18:02:23
Lazaro remained on his land in the village, and continued to speak Mayan. But the tradition has been lost within the family.

18:13:06
Raquel: The truth is that I don't like to talk Mayan, because it takes practice.
Grandfather: Because to fully master Mayan, it takes a lot of practice. Here, in Yucatan, there are many people who do not understand Spanish. They only speak Maya. But my wife and me, who spoke both languages.

18:45:05
Grandfather: It makes me really happy that you came to see me! It's been so long since you last came.
Raquel: It's been a year since I came.
Grandpa: It's been a long time!
Raquel: Too long!

19:01:13
Raquel: Here in Tinzimin, Yucatan, there is almost no work. Huh, Grandpa?

19:07:00
Grandfather: There is work, but it is domestic work, like working in the homes of the rich. It is not well paid. That's why people go to seek work in Cancun or the other towns.

19:25:12
Grandpa: How long have you worked at the hotel?
Raquel: A month and a half.
Grandpa: And you brother, does he work?
Raquel: No, that's the problem. He works, but he doesn't give money to Mom. It's only me who works and supports the family.

19:43:04
Grandfather: Life is not sweet in Cancun. Life is hard. You can't work there quietly.

19:55:24
Some heirs of the ancient Mayan culture are choosing to stay in these isolated areas - accepting they will lead only a very simple life.

20:19:12
Mayan woman: In the town, you can't have your little hen house. You can't have your little pig. You can't have your garden. If you ask me if I want to live here or there, I would say here is better. With my small field, I can do what I want. I can plant my bananas, because there is lots of land here. But in the big cities, the small pieces of land are so expensive that I can't afford them.

20:47:13
Mayan woman: But here, if you want is a better life, you must make more of an effort. Here, men grow millet, but it's does not bring in enough. Because it's necessary to buy children's clothes. When they're sick, they have to take them to the doctor. Today, we cannot say that we live on corn, because when there is some, it's just for personal consumption. There isn't enough to sell. That's why we have to find alternative work to get by.

21:20:16
Julio:
The government has not given sufficient support, not just to integrate the tourist sector, but also for the development of Maya communities. They haven't given enough support to help them work their land or raise their animals, or to transmit their culture and crafts. They do not have this opportunity. They have to walk many hours to other villages where there are more tourists to sell their crafts or products. It's not sufficient.

22:06:05
On the coast, the government is intensifying its efforts to develop the tourism industry.

22:14:17
But it's a sector that has irreversible impact on the environment.

22:22:05
In order to build these resorts, 50% of mangroves have been destroyed - despite the protection of being a UNESCO World Heritage site.

22:37:17
Guadalupe Velazquez is a dedicated hydrologist. She takes samples at the site of a new hotel, where a large amount of mangrove has been destroyed.

22:48:02
Guadalupe: The mangroves are protected by federal law. It also has regulations to prohibit cutting. But we are in a situation where we are under pressure from certain groups to develop tourism. But yes, these are protected areas.

23:08:15
Mangroves offer a natural defence against cyclones, and help preserve the balance of an entire ecosystem.

23:15:24
Guadalupe: Here, it is impressive to see that they have blocked a natural channel again. We came in October and it was still an open channel.

23:33:13
Guadalupe: The buildings deteriorate three ecosystems: the moisture of the mangroves, and the systems of the dunes and that of the lagoon. The ecological system will be profoundly altered because the dynamic that exists between the two systems, the sea and the continental system, can no longer co-exist. So this will do damage ecologically, but will also cause damage to the infrastructure of the hotels they want to build here.

24:11:13
Guadalupe regularly flies over the coast to observe the most threatened areas, and gather evidence of changes in the landscape.

24:19:19
Guadalupe: Our mission is to inform the public, and to account for the impact that this will have on tourism and urban development.

Guadalupe: Our responsibility is to identify the vulnerable zones and the development projects. Nature has an impressive ability to absorb the impact of humans. If people insist on developing this area without making preliminary studies to prevent damage, they will damage the ecosystem. In 50/60 years, the turquoise colour that we see today will disappear.

25:09:14
Guadalupe Velazquez has started publishing all of her pictures on the internet in order to sound the alarm on this impending ecological disaster.

25:19:00
Guadalupe: This image dates from April 2012, and what we see in these pictures is that since then they have built more buildings on the north side. The impact of this situation is that the colour of the water changes. This is what we saw this morning along the coast. And this could occur on a more long term scale. If we don't take the necessary measures to avoid building on vulnerable areas, we cannot have a sea with that colour.

25:52:14
But for now, the work of these scientists is not being taken into account by the authorities. The economic stakes are too high.

26:01:21
Julio:
Normally, hotels cannot build more than a number of floors, or exceed a certain number of rooms, and they do not have the right to construct on the street. Nevertheless, many hotel groups do despite these prohibitions, and unfortunately obtain permits to build. In the best cases, the government imposes a fine. If the buildings exceed two or three floors, they have to pay a ridiculous fine of 20-30 thousand pesos (1000-2000 euros).

26:48:05
60 kilometres south of Cancun, in the resort town of Playa del Carmen, history seems to repeat itself.

26:56:15
Faced with competition from new neighbouring destinations such as Costa Rica new resorts continue to be built on the beach in the middle of the holiday season. Music is played in an attempt to cover the sound of drilling.

27:20:15
This is mass tourism, pushed to its limit.

27:29:05
For how long can this model of tourism continue to expand, before the entire Caribbean coast is under threat?