Record Sargassum Swamps Quintana Roo Beaches, Threatening Tourism and the Environment

Environmental officials in Quintana Roo project that 119,000 tons of sargassum will wash ashore by the end of the year, surpassing the 96,000 tons recorded the previous year. By late June, a local monitoring network reported that 92.5 % of the state’s beaches registered an “excessive” level of the brown seaweed. Drone footage captured the extent of the bloom on July 22 and July 24, showing seaweed-covered shorelines in the hotel zones of Tulum.

The Straits Times

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama has estimated that managing the algae consumes roughly 11 % of the state’s GDP, about US$2 billion annually; the Riviera Maya hotel association puts the direct cleanup cost at US$150 million per year. In response, the Mexican Navy has deployed a dedicated fleet that includes 11 specialized coastal ships, an amphibious collector, 18 support boats, two barges and four drones, and has installed over 9,000 m of containment barriers along vulnerable coastlines. A revised response plan is scheduled to be presented on July 30.

The Independent

Tulum Councilman Eugenio Barbachano described the tourism decline as “extremely serious,” noting that the low season has become “critical.” Local businesses report sharp drops in hotel occupancy and restaurant revenue. Marine scientists warn that decomposing sargassum deprives underwater plants of sunlight, reduces biodiversity, and can leach arsenic and other heavy metals into the sand. Workers who have cleared the seaweed report skin irritation, headaches, fatigue and nausea, symptoms linked to the algae in a 2025 scientific study. Despite the challenges, some tourists, such as a Swedish visitor named Wendy, continue to swim in the affected waters.

The Independent

• “Quintana Roo is a state that sells beaches, blue sea and water activities,” — Carlos Solis

The Straits Times

• “Warmer temperatures are going to give you more sargassum,” — Brian Barnes

The Straits Times

• “The drop in tourism is extremely serious,” — Tulum Councilman Eugenio Barbachano

The Straits Times