Coastal Erosion Disrupts Tourism in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Coastal erosion at El Recodo is damaging the beach and affecting the nautical sector in Playa del Carmen, with service providers taking extreme precautions as they cannot dock boats or receive visitors.

During this high season, the port was closed twice to small vessels, affecting fishermen and nautical operators. Erosion is impacting the maritime sector and tourist infrastructure in Playa del Carmen; the most critical point is El Recodo, just as activities begin to resume after the port closure, service providers reported.

They commented that in this area, waves caused the total loss of sand. The sea directly hits the base of hotels and other constructions, showing accelerated deterioration of the coastal strip.

The total absence of shoreline in this stretch prevents the arrival of small vessels and complicates the safety of tourists and workers, who must take extreme precautions against strong waves.

According to observations during a tour of different points along the coast, it is evident how the beach line has receded, leaving exposed structures that were previously protected by wide strips of sand.

Cooperative members warned that erosion is a recurring problem over the last months.

They emphasized that this is not an isolated phenomenon, but a constant process that visibly reduces the extension of several beaches, affecting both the destination’s image and conditions for developing aquatic activities.

Maritime service providers agreed that, while the December season brought an increase in demand, erosion limits the full utilization of this recovery.

According to José Gómez Burgos, general secretary of the “Mar Caribe” cooperative, sector activities resumed on December 15, following a complicated period due to sea conditions. However, on the 22nd, the port was closed preventively, which again halted operations. Currently, they operate at 70 to 80 percent capacity, with expectations that the number will increase as weather permits.