“300 Workers Fight Seaweed Menace in Quintana Roo: Hotels’ Bold Move Pays Off in Battle Against Sargassum!”

In Quintana Roo, the hotel industry has employed up to 300 workers to collect sargassum seaweed. This year, they are placing their trust in local authorities to appropriately position barriers and ensure sargassum boats are operational, thus reducing the amount of seaweed reaching the beaches.

For months, hotel representatives have been in discussion with the admiral of the Naval Region. As a result, anti-sargassum fences have begun to be installed from Puerto Morelos to Mahahual. The number of workers hired to combat the sargassum issue varies among hotels, with some employing up to 300 individuals, particularly those with extensive beach fronts.

Jesús Almaguer Salazar, president of the Association of Hotels of Cancun, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres, stated that the activation of sargassum boats would be a significant improvement. He also mentioned that several proposals have been made to authorities and candidates. One of these proposals is to adjust the state budget allocation based on the population data provided by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi). Salazar argued that this should be more flexible, particularly in tourist states, which often host up to 20 million temporary residents throughout the year. These individuals utilize public services and generate taxes, just like permanent residents, and this should be taken into account in budget considerations.

Currently, tourism trends are positive, and the expectation is that this will continue for the rest of the year, with peaks during the high season. Since Easter, there have been high levels of tourism. Salazar expressed satisfaction with the positive season, stating, "We had a very good season and this serves as a basis for continuing to produce throughout the rest of the year."

Related article: Semar has collected 950 tons of sargassum in Quintana Roo in 2024 [https://www.lajornadamaya.mx/quintana-roo/229867/semar-ha-recolectado-950-toneladas-de-sargazo-en-qroo-este-2024]