Land set aside for the new Riviera Maya international airport in Tulum has been officially signed over to the Mexican Federal Government, it was announced, last Friday.

In an article in the Mexican government's Official Daily Journal, Salvador Vega Casillas, Director of the Civil Service Secretariat, said ownership of 3,170 acres (1,283 hectares) of land has been legally transferred.

Vega, a member of the Mexican government's cabinet, said the land was to be used by the Government's Secretariat for Communications and Transport for the express purpose of constructing the new Tulum airport.

In a separate interview with Mexican newspaper El Financiero on Monday, the Secretary for Communications and Transport, Juan Francisco Molinar Horcasitas, said that various European and international groups were interested in bidding for the Tulum airport project, which will be put out to tender next month.

Molinar said that the project was proceeding with a "good rhythm" and that important advances have been made in the development of the tender process.

The land handed over to the Federal Government is slightly larger than originally reported and the final legal hurdle has now been cleared, leaving the way open for the bidding process to begin.

The new Riviera Maya airport is expected to be able to handle 700,000 passengers in its first year, increasing to 3 million passengers in 5 years.

Local politicians and business people have said the new Tulum airport will provide an economic boost to the area.

Riviera Maya real estate prices in the area have already risen due to property investors showing strong interest now the airport is confirmed.

See the new airport's exact location on Google Maps.