Quintana Roo sargassum crisis closes beaches, hits tourism

The Caribbean coast of Quintana Roo is grappling with an intense sargassum bloom. Over 56 of the state's 140 beaches have been placed under a red alert as thick mats of algae accumulate, forcing closures and deterring visitors. By mid‑year, the Mexican Navy and local authorities have removed roughly 100,000 tonnes of sargassum, surpassing the total collected in the previous year, and aim to reach 130,000 tonnes by year‑end.

Tourism operators report sharp declines in occupancy; hotels in Tulum and Playa del Carmen are operating at 55‑70 % capacity compared with 90 % in previous high seasons. Workers such as Azul Lucero, a server in Playa del Carmen, see daily customer numbers drop from hundreds to fewer than fifty, cutting tip income dramatically. The federal and municipal governments, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, stress that overall tourist arrivals remain strong and attribute fluctuations to fuel prices rather than the algae.

Cleanup efforts involve 27 vessels, each capable of hauling up to 300 tonnes, supported by smaller boats and manual beach work. Counter‑admiral Topiltzin Flores describes the season as “intense” and emphasizes the goal of keeping as much algae offshore as possible to protect the coastline.