The May month saw annoying brown seaweed, the Atlantic Ocean’s Sargassum, which increased from 31 million tons in April to 37.5 million tons, the largest number since surveillance began in 2011.
The blooms, which usually take place from April to October, have covered beaches from Puerto Rico to the Yucatan Peninsula, which include Cancun, Tulum and Playa del Carmen. These island-like crowds are expected to continue to spread in June, invading beaches on the Caribbean, Mexico, Florida and the southern U.S. coastline.
Sargassum is a form of algae that releases hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, which can be dangerous for pregnant women and those with respiratory problems. Small marine organisms that bury themselves in seaweed can cause rashes and blisters if in contact with the skin.
It’s also annoying for the resort, where planners are easy (if not impossible) to host beach events and beachfront events due to the smell.
Mexico actively pays tribute to Salgasum by focusing on the four beaches along the Yucatan Peninsula and the Caribbean coast. Punta Cana has invested in barriers to prevent seaweed from reaching the coast. However, the smaller Caribbean islands that did not have a budget to resolve this issue left the cleanup to individual hotels. Some resorts are even installing their own obstacles, such as the new Ava Resort Cancun, which just held the annual IRF Invitational this week.
What can planners do?
Kimberly Ruby, client participation manager for Canadian Living Reinsurance, said the planner’s first step was to learn that he began researching beach resort vacations and could not find a single property that would solve the problem.
“Real estate needs to make guests aware. It’s like the ADA’s focus. I want to know in advance that your elevator will be closed. If I don’t know, I won’t be able to make a decision.”
Planners are affected in a variety of ways. “If I choose a venue to visit on site and then see Sargassum and smell it — I wasted time and money,” she said. “What’s worse is that I have to scramble to create a Plan B for the beach event and then worry about health issues among attendees.”
She suggested talking to the attorney, saying that if the beach’s unusable condition exceeds a specific date, the frustration of the purpose clause was added to the contract. “This may help you work with that particular hotel, but it still doesn’t solve the problem of finding last minute alternatives.”
Sargassum surveillance
Planners can use several online resources to track Sargassum Bloom in real time, including:
