Tulum Hotels Keep Their Doors Open Despite Sargassum Season

Despite the recent influx of sargassum on Tulum’s beaches, the Asociación de Hoteles de Tulum has ruled out closing any of its member hotels during the sargassum season. With sargassum now reaching the coast for eight to nine months a year, the hotel association emphasizes the need for a permanent solution rather than a seasonal one. Hotels on the coastal strip have reported occupancy rates near 20%, highlighting the financial strain on the industry. Ortiz Mena, the association’s president, argues that a year-round strategy is essential to protect jobs and maintain the tourism industry, which is heavily reliant on the coastal strip’s activities.

The association’s stance is in stark contrast to earlier speculation, where owners on the coastal strip were considering only operating their hotels outside the months of heavy arrivals. This decision was largely based on the seasonal calendar, which now extends throughout the year, making a temporary closure through the sargassum season unfeasible.

With the federal plan committing 2,635.6 million pesos across two stages, the hotel association advocates for a cost-sharing model between public and private sectors. This model aims to mitigate the financial burden on the sector by distributing the responsibility and costs of maintaining clean beaches among all stakeholders.