After more than 15 years of service, the Quinto Sole Hotel in Mahahual, Quintana Roo, has permanently closed its doors.
The announcement was made through the hotel’s official social media channels. According to the statement, the reason for the closure was the impact of sargassum.
Massive Sargassum Arrivals Continue to Affect Quintana Roo
In recent months, massive amounts of sargassum have reached the coast of Quintana Roo. Personnel from the Mexican Navy and municipal governments have collected more than 83,000 tons of the macroalgae.
In addition to the sargassum problem, tourism service providers point to other factors contributing to business closures.
“Yesterday I learned that Quinto Sole closed. I think it’s harder for hotels to survive than restaurants because most of the tourism in Mahahual comes from cruise ships, so there aren’t many visitors who actually stay overnight,” said Andrés Montoya, a local tourism service provider.
Local Businesses Report Significant Losses
Artisan vendors acknowledge that the excessive presence of sargassum on the beaches has reduced their earnings by up to 50 percent.
“It’s really the sargassum. This is the sargassum season, and it’s very bad. It affects people because they don’t like the smell,” said Ángel Orlando, an artisan vendor.
Tourists Describe Sargassum as a Major Obstacle
Visitors to Mahahual say that sargassum has become a serious problem that affects their travel experience, although they recognize it is not limited to the Mexican Caribbean.
“I think it’s like a plague. I don’t know if it’s related to the environment because it happens in Puerto Rico, throughout Latin America, from Cuba to the Dominican Republic and even Miami. It’s a problem for us because what we want is to enjoy the beach,” said tourist Marco Coronado.
For many travelers, the main issue is that sargassum makes it difficult to enjoy the beaches of the Costa Maya.
“The sargassum scratches your skin, it itches, and it smells bad. But if they prepared it properly, it could be useful as livestock feed or recycled as raw material. The government should work on that,” said tourist Joelia Rolo.
Calls for Greater Collaboration
Some visitors believe that hotel owners and local businesses should work together by contributing ideas and manpower to better manage the sargassum, rather than allowing its effects to force businesses to close.
Source: unotv
