The architect, current president of the Board of Directors and CEO of Experiencias Xcaret, visited Riviera Maya for the first time in 1986. He found a place that astounded him with its natural beauty and biodiversity, known as “Rancho Xcaret”, which used to be the Mayan port previously known as Polé. This is how Miguel Quintana Pali acquired his first 5 hectares of land in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.
His initial plan was to build a country home on this ranch, but after analysing the scope and potential of the land, he had a change of heart.
Miguel interprets architecture through parks, and this land, located close to Cancún, was his first opportunity. As he cleared the area, he came across various archaeological jewels and underground rivers, which he referred to as a “little paradise”.
Miguel explains how he became increasingly anxious as the project developed, feeling that it would be wrong to keep all this beauty and natural wonder for him and his family alone – instead, he felt obliged to share it with others. This is when he decided that the park would be opened to the public.
As time went on, he began to have a clearer idea of the characteristics of the park, entering into a partnership with the Constandse brothers. Then, in 1990, Xcaret opened its doors to the public for the first time.
25 years later, the company Xcaret boasts four other parks in Riviera Maya: Xel-Ha, Xplore, Xoximilco and Xenotes Oasis Maya. This year will also see the opening of the company’s fifth park, Xavage.
Each year, Quintana and his team welcome over two million visitors to their parks and create over 3000 jobs. The tourism sector, in which Experiencias Xcaret operates, is a motor for the creation of high-turnover jobs and jobs for young people, where employees remain for an average of 4.6 years.
“The area in which we are growing most is in our online sales and the use of social networks. The trick is finding the formula to retain these employees. This generation learns very quickly. The aim is to provide them with new challenges so that they aren’t tempted to leave. Innovate, create trends and keep updated”, were the words of Quintana in an interview conducted with the Expansión magazine.
