Dominican Republic's Punta Cana tourism hit by surge in sargassum

Between January and June of this year, 9 million metric tons of sargassum washed ashore in the waters of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, surpassing the 8.3 million tons recorded in the same period of 2025 and the 1.2 million tons of 2024. The macroalga has crowded popular beaches such as Bávaro in Punta Cana, prompting tourists like Colombian visitor Jeyson Orozco to say he “cannot enjoy the sea as expected.”

Local operators report that private hotels clear the algae daily with tractors and manual crews, but many public beach sections remain littered for days. Tour‑guide Angelo Joseph noted, “If you don’t have money to clean your beach, you don’t clean it,” highlighting the uneven burden. Boat‑operator Braulio Pelmito said the volume “exceeds our capacity; we mostly bury it because we lack trucks.” Property‑owner Tim Kaylor said his condominium association spends about $1,400 a day on cleanup.

The influx threatens the tourism sector, which accounts for roughly 19 % of the Dominican Republic’s GDP, and harms marine ecosystems and local fisheries. While some see potential uses for the algae in fertilizer, biomass or material extraction, the immediate impact is reduced visitor satisfaction, odor problems, and added costs for businesses and residents.