Sargassum in Quintana Roo is helping to drive tourism to Puerto Vallarta

During April, the Sargassum (brown seaweed) and the lack of promotion in Quintana Roo hit the hotel occupancy, and although this year, the Easter holiday period fell in April, which should have driven the arrival of tourists, occupancy in Cancun and Puerto Morelos was lower than in the same month last year, but Puerto Vallarta saw a rebound during the same period.

In Quintana Roo, hotel occupancy was 80.2 percent, 5.9 percentage points less than that registered in April last year, according to data from the Tourism Secretariat of Quintana Roo. In Riviera Maya, hotel occupancy was 83 percent, 4.1 percentage points less annually.

For the Association of Hotels of the Riviera Maya (AHRM) the expectation of hotel occupancy for April was 85 percent. In addition, the reservation rate has dropped by 10 percent. “Not all the beaches are affected by the seaweed at the same time, we inform tourists about the points of affectation and hoteliers collect it daily in large quantities, some have placed containment projects in the reef lagoon in front of their properties”, said the executive director of the AHRM, Manuel Paredes.

Jorge Hernández, president of the Mexican Association of Travel Agencies (AMAV), said that the decrease in occupancy of Quintana Roo has affected Cancun to a greater extent. Travel agencies inform tourists of the problem of seaweed in the destination, and if they are not convincing they suggest alternatives such as Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Manzanillo, Huatulco or beaches of the Gulf, he said.

Vallarta and Los Cabos are some of the destinations where tourists have switched their reservations, he added. Therefore, the agencies are considering lowering their prices between 10 and 15 percent to recover reservations for the summer season nationwide that are down 8 percent against the same period last year.

In Quintana Roo, they see concern with the resignation of Josefa González Blanco from the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), since it was expected that the federal strategy to combat the seaweed problem would be announced, together with the applicable environmental guidelines.

The Early Warning System of the Monitoring Network of Sargazo Cancun, anticipated “difficult months” in June, July and August for the Quintana Roo coastline in view of the accelerated reproduction of the algae observed in the vicinity of the Lesser Antilles and further south, in the NERR region (Recirculation Region North of Ecuador), which is located off the coast of Brazil.

During April, the Sargassum (brown seaweed) and the lack of promotion in Quintana Roo hit the hotel occupancy, and although this year, the Easter holiday . . .

Follow Us On Google News | Get Our Newsletter



Trending News on PVDN

  • Where do foreigners come from and where do they live in MexicoMexico City Protest on July 5 Challenges Gentrification and Airbnb’s Impact on Housing Residents of Roma and Condesa will gather at Parque México on July 5 to protest gentrification, rising rents, and Airbnb’s effect on local housing. This Saturday, July 5, Mexico City will witness its first organized citizen protest against gentrification—a peaceful but urgent gathering taking place at 3:30 p.m. at the Lindbergh Forum in Parque México,…
  • protests3Mexico City Protests: There is a fine line between anti-gentrification and xenophobia The line between anti-gentrification and racism is clear if you choose to see it: genuine activism targets policy and practice, not nationality or ethnicity. I have lived in Mexico for two decades, and I have never witnessed the level of anti-American sentiment that exists today. All of it is tied to the buzzword "gentrification," a…
  • puerto vallarta lettersPuerto Vallarta needs a new image to create meaningful reasons for travelers to visit Business leaders at Jalisco Tourism Secretariat forums stressed the need for renewing Puerto Vallarta image and diversifying attractions to appeal to national and international markets. Local business leaders and tourism specialists agreed this week that Puerto Vallarta needs a fresh look and a broader range of attractions to compete at home and abroad. In a…
  • puerto-vallarta-police-chase-bahia-de-banderasPuerto Vallarta police chase ends in deadly collision in Bahía de Banderas A Puerto Vallarta police chase along Highway 200 ended in a deadly collision in Bahía de Banderas, leaving two people dead. A high-speed chase that began in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and ended in Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, left at least two people dead and raised new questions about police engagement and road safety in the…
  • puerto-vallarta-rainfall-hurricane-flossie-july-2025Puerto Vallarta braces for torrential rains as Hurricane Flossie gains strength Puerto Vallarta faces a high risk of flooding as Hurricane Flossie intensifies in the Pacific. Torrential rains and overwhelmed drainage systems pose major challenges for the city. Puerto Vallarta, a city wedged between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean, is no stranger to dramatic weather shifts—but this summer, the skies are testing the…
  • protestProtest graffiti and smashed windows mars anti-gentrification rally in Mexico City Residents and activists joined an anti-gentrification rally in Mexico Park, but the anti-gentrification rally Mexico Park turned destructive as masked youths defaced local shops and broke windows. A rally against gentrification held yesterday in Mexico City’s Parque México drew residents from Juárez, Roma, Condesa and Hipódromo alongside local activists. Organizers billed it as the city’s…
  • mexico city real estateGentrification in Mexico City is not the reason for the high cost of housing City housing shortage, not gentrification, drives prices skyward as planning lags behind demand and foreigner influence remains minimal. High real estate costs in Mexico City stem from a deep and persistent housing shortage—exacerbated by land constraints, tangled regulations and speculative investment—rather than by the presence of foreign residents. Despite headlines blaming “gentrification,” foreign-born residents make…
  • Body with signs of crocodile attack found in Ameca River, a leg was found last monthPurple Flag Warns Beachgoers after Crocodile at Los Muertos Beach Authorities raised a purple flag after a crocodile at Los Muertos Beach was spotted swimming near shore, advising visitors to avoid entering the water until safety checks ended. Local authorities recorded a crocodile swimming in the vicinity of Los Muertos Beach, one of Puerto Vallarta’s busiest tourist spots. Lifeguards spotted the reptile in shallow water…
  • José Luis Velázquez RodríguezSEAPAL Official Reported Missing in Puerto Vallarta Authorities in Puerto Vallarta have launched a search for José Luis Velázquez Rodríguez, SEAPAL's head of transparency, who has been missing since June 30. Family and officials are urging the public to report any information. Local authorities and civil protection units have launched a search operation for José Luis Velázquez Rodríguez, head of the Transparency…
  • puerto vallarta loses three blue flag beachesPuerto Vallarta retains four Blue Flag Beaches, down from eight Puerto Vallarta will enter the 2025–2026 season with four international Blue Flag distinctions in Puerto Vallarta, even after tourism-driven environmental damage cost it half of its previous honors. The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in Mexico confirmed that three resort flags will be revalidated at Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, The Westin Resort &…
Scroll to Top