Diving Tourism Collapses in Playa del Carmen as Four Dive Shops Close

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Diving tourism has all but stopped arriving in this Caribbean resort town, according to a survey of nautical service providers, who report that four dive shops closed in 2026 for lack of customers.

Operators say the decline began in 2025 and deepened this year, when a heavy sargassum season delivered the final blow. Shops that once ran daily reef trips now sit idle, and staff say the summer holiday period produced almost no business at all.

Sofía Velázquez, who manages a dive shop on Quinta Avenida, said bookings have dropped every year. “In 2025 it was better than now, but the flow of visitors keeps falling,” she said. She is hoping for a brief rebound during the December holidays but said there is little reason for optimism.

Sargassum, Navy Cleanup and Spending Priorities

Velázquez blamed the heavy sargassum influx at the start of the year, saying no outside cleanup crews were hired to speed the removal of the seaweed. She also criticized the deployment of Navy personnel to the beaches, arguing that sailors are meant to guarantee security along the country’s coasts.

Beyond the seaweed, she said authorities have cut back promotion of the destination compared with previous years, when the town was marketed more aggressively to foreign and domestic travelers. She said the municipal government instead poured money into mega-concerts and artists.

Operators Dispute Official Figures

Raúl Tinajero Sánchez said the downturn dates to the World Cup and accused tourism officials of manipulating the numbers by counting visitors as soon as they land at the airport to create the impression that travelers are still arriving.

He said foreign visitors are effectively captive to all-inclusive hotel chains from the moment they reach Cancún, buying complete packages that give them no reason to hire services outside their resort.

Official figures point in the opposite direction. Quintana Roo Tourism Secretary Bernardo Cueto reported that diving tourism grew 2.4 percent in 2024 and 2.9 percent in 2025, and that the adventure segment rose 16 percent in 2025.