Hotel Owners Tap Jean de Nul for Beach Restoration Miracles

Hotel owners in Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres have reached out to Belgian-Dutch company, Jean de Nul, for a plan and budget to restore and maintain their sand dunes. These dunes have been severely affected by weather conditions, particularly Hurricane Beryl.

Jean de Nul is no stranger to such projects. In April 2006, the company successfully restored 11.5 kilometers of beach in Cancún. This area had been severely impacted by Hurricane Wilma in October 2006, leading to significant loss of sand dunes. The beach recovery project was completed in three months at a cost of 232 million pesos (approximately 21 million dollars).

Jesús Almaguer Salazar, the president of the Association of Hotels of Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres, stated that the impact of Hurricane Beryl was localized. He noted that the sand tends to return and in some places, the hurricane even resulted in more beach area.

The anticipated cost of the proposed project is around 400 million pesos (about 22.5 million dollars). Salazar emphasized the importance of beach maintenance, particularly during the hurricane season, as the beaches are the main attraction for tourists.

The hotel sector is exploring the possibility of forming a trust with state and municipal authorities. If needed, a secured loan could be sought using the income from the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat), with the approval of the Ministry of Finance and Planning (Sefiplan).

Salazar also mentioned a previous agreement where a 25 percent tax increase was used to create a beach recovery trust. However, the status of this trust and the funds collected remain unclear. He suggested that the Environmental Sanitation Right in Cancún, which involves a joint budget with hoteliers for beach maintenance and cleaning, could be an alternative solution.