The president of the Mexican Caribbean Hotel Council, David Ortiz Mena, said that hotel operators have considered operating only during periods when sargassum landings are lower because of the high costs associated with beach cleaning and the impact on tourist occupancy.
“A hotel can end up spending up to three times more on removing sargassum than it pays for electricity consumption,” Ortiz Mena said, noting that in recent years the private sector has shouldered most of the beach-cleaning efforts on its own.
He explained that removing sargassum has become a permanent expense for hotels, compounded by lower occupancy rates and an unfavorable exchange rate. As a result, some businesses have considered temporarily suspending operations during the months when sargassum arrivals are at their peak.
Ortiz Mena believes the most effective strategy is to stop the sargassum before it reaches the beaches, since offshore containment requires logistical and financial resources beyond the capacity of the private sector.
“A hotel can end up spending up to three times more on removing sargassum than it pays for electricity consumption,” he reiterated.
As previously reported by REPORTUR.mx, even before the end of the sargassum season in Quintana Roo, the state is already close to surpassing last year’s collection total. So far this year, 81,000 tons of sargassum have been collected.
If the current trend continues, the state is expected to exceed the 92,000 tons collected last year due to strengthened cleanup efforts.
“We will most likely surpass last year’s total tonnage collected, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It also reflects the greater efficiency of the Navy, the state government, and the municipalities,” said Óscar Alberto Rébora Aguilera, Secretary of the Environment.
Source: reportur
