Have just had a letter from our travel company that as from the 9th september 2010, the mexican goverment are implementing a new currency restriction. The restiction means that the US dollar will no longer be accepted as a form of payment in shops, restaurants or bars ect. we cannot book any excursions through our company with dollars, or pay the departure tax, and there is a limit of $1500 per stay, we have always used US dollars in cancun, and have already exchanged our pound for dollars, although we have got some peso's, has anyone in cancun heard about these new regulations.
I've seen it reported on a few forums but have never seen or read a proper news story to back it up either in Cancun itself or online. There are no signs up anywhere that dollars will not be accepted from the 9th - I would expect to see this at places like Walmart and Costco etc if it were true and due to happen in 3 days time. Banks have imposed restrictions on the amount of dollars they will exchange in the last few months - some refusing them altogether http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10324861 My guess would be your company (which company by the way Dave?) are having trouble banking their dollars in Cancun and therefore made up some BS story to stop people from bringing them in the first place. What is the '$1500 per stay limit' - sounds pretty silly having a limit if they also say dollars cant be used anyway? By the way I'd always recommend Brits and Canucks (basically anyone not from the US) to use Pesos over Dollars.
we are with thomson steve, it says, whilst in resort you will be able to exchange dollars into pesos at banks and selected exchange bureaus, however there is a limit of $1500dollars per adult per stay. cya soon mate.
That's similar to the BBC News story link I posted. It mentions you cant exchange more than $1500, but I've read nothing about not being able to use them for bars, tours, clubs and restaurants and am sure they will continue to be legal tender. I also have no idea how they intend to enforce the amount you change, I very much doubt there is a central database shared by every single money exchanger in Cancun to store passport numbers and keep track of each persons limit.
I see it has made the Thomson website: Thomson Holidays - Travel Information and News Like I say, there is no truth to the statement that dollars cant be used as cash for bars shops tours etc as far as I know or have heard. I'm sure they just dont want to be lumbered with dollars themselves so they made something up. As for the $1500 limit I cant see how this could be effectively enforced.
Newly Released Mexican Regulations Imposing Restrictions on Mexican Banks for Transactions in U.S. Currency | Fuerst Ittleman
Yeah, same story a little more in depth. The problem is not with using dollars to pay for things it's to do with banking or exchanging them which is the business owners problem not the tourists. Any Cancun based business reliant on tourism that says it wont accept dollars as a result of this may as well close it's doors now.
