Sargassum Arrival Won’t Hurt Playa del Carmen Tourism in 2026

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — Despite the second atypical sargassum arrival of the year, the tourism sector in Playa del Carmen has ruled out any negative impact on the development of the World Cup year, assuring that a coordinated strategy and immediate response plan exists to keep beaches in optimal condition.

The Season Arrived Early This Year

The president of the Tourism Commission and southeast coordinator of the National Association of Regional Business Councils (ANCER), Lenin Amaro Betancourt, stated that although the sargassum season typically begins in March, this year it has appeared early, with a second arrival larger than the first recorded weeks ago.

He indicated that, since last week, permanent coordination with the Secretariat of the Navy and the Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) has been activated, allowing for the immediate cleanup of affected areas.

“Unfortunately it arrived early. We always mark that the sargassum season would begin from March, but this is already the second arrival,” he expressed.

Working on Immediate Attention

He emphasized that the key to avoiding negative impacts on the destination’s image is the immediate attention to the phenomenon. “The idea is that what washes ashore is immediately collected and nothing is left to decompose,” he affirmed.

Amaro Betancourt added that they have the support of the Navy and a greater number of personnel to reinforce the work, and that the business sector is willing to support with lodging and food for the personnel if necessary, with the goal of guaranteeing clean beaches during the months of highest tourist influx.