This Cancún Resort Fights 20,000 Tons of Invasive Seaweed Each Year | WSJ Booked

Maintaining clean beaches takes a huge amount of work for resorts in Mexico and across the Caribbean, thanks to tons of seaweed that invades every year. Sargassum and seagrass can alter the pristine beaches by turning the water brown, making it smelly and bringing in flies and other insects. So how is this seaweed hurting popular tourism destinations being dealt with?

WSJ goes behind the scenes of one of the most innovative sargassum removal operations in Cancun to see what’s involved.

Chapters:
0:00 Seaweed issue at resorts
1:02 Removing sargassum
2:55 Sand and erosion
5:11 Managing through the summer

Booked
Your trip may be booked, but there are hundreds of people and processes that help you travel to where you need to go. From airport logistics to cruise ship procedures, WSJ’s Booked peels back the curtain on the travel industry, guiding viewers behind-the-scenes through the lens of industry experts.

#Tourism #Cancun #WSJ

[nonamebrojones]

Another major contributor to the sargassum explosion is Brazil. There are thousands of new farming operations popping up in the Amazon basin. These areas are clear cut and farmers there use fertilizer to grow crops more rapidly. This fertilizer eventually runs off into the Amazon River. It travels downstream into the Atlantic and eventually travels via the Atlantic current directly up to the Sargasso Sea. This fertilizer then causes the output of the Sargasso Sea to increase 1, 000%. Brazil needs to be part of the solution to this environmental disaster that they've participated in creating.

[krj]

This is the Moon Palace resort in Cancun. Strange they didn't mention the property name once

[sbdiaries]

Such a dedicated team of people and skilled use of equipment, on diverting the seaweed ❤❤❤

[oliviao]

The smell of seaweed is a topic worth exploring in a video, considering its complex nature and the various compounds involved, such as dimethyl sulfide, contributing to its distinctive ocean aroma. I've noticed that the odor is more intense when I visit in December than on the East Coast. The flies make it a headache for sure even seen some in my drinks but that's my fault for going passed the line. I recall that a decade ago, it was easier to explore; now, it has become a more exclusive destination.

[wendyleonenko]

I just want to say a big Thank You to all those workers shown in this video for all their hard work. Your hard work allows us from Canada to visit your beautiful beaches and resorts.

[yeewhiz]

Hands down one of the coolest efforts and jobs I've seen in a while.

[MexicoRealEstatewithParrish]

Free tip 👋🏼 If you want to enjoy sargassum free beaches, head over to Yucatan state. Progreso area is only 3.5 hours from Cancun and seaweed free beaches 🏖️

[mybadoof]

Super cool this resort puts so much effort into maintaining the beach and returning the sand!

[myconstruction]

So cool how these workers work smarter not harder.

[chriswood]

I live in Player del Carmen and this can be a big problem from week to week. I feel so sorry for holiday maker's that come here and cant go in the sea as the water is brown and smelly.

[BVibezCDN]

This is a massive undertaking for tourism, and an incredible way of managing a changing ecosystem that humans operate within! Congrats on finding a sustainable way to manage the sand cycle 🎉

[RLDavis-hh]

The irony is that the seaweed, spread thin, seems to create great dune protection and sand accumulation. Some raking is required to mound up and cover lightly with sand. Then, protect the sea oat plant area. Seaweed can be a great mulch for these sea grasses.

[jackieminyard]

This is great. I know it's an outrageous amount of work but the sarcasm definitely ruins beach vacations. Happy to see some solutions coming up. Looking forward to upcoming trip 2 Cancun. I ❤️ it there!

[slytherben]

We used to vacation in the Caribbean, or Cancun, every year. We haven't been back since 2017. The reef is all dead. The beautiful fish are all gone. The sargassum prevents sunlight from reaching the coral. Swimming in dead coral in 2017 was one of the saddest experiences of my life. The world has changed

[andrewkeeton]

We get this stuff real bad in Texas too. Piled up 15 ft high for miles and miles. Smells horrible too

[GringosOnTheGulf]

Crazy 😢 sad but glad they have stepped up to save the beach, well done guys. ❤
thanks for sharing this. 😢
We will move and explore this area next year. Cheers from 2 Canadians 🇨🇦 living in Veracruz Mexico.🇲🇽❤️✌🏼

[frefai]

I stayed the Grand Moon resort in Cancun and saw this first hand. The beaches at the resort were basically empty because of the sargassum; the water was a gross brown and it really did stink. I spoke to a fellow guest that moved rooms away from the near beach because the smell was getting to them.

[colekarrh]

What some people see as a problem. I see it as a business opportunity. Let's go

[AndreaDoesYoga]

Amazing effort, Cancún Resort! 👏 Keep our beaches clean.

[TheDroppedAnchor]

Unusual to see a Murdoch-owned *news* org do a straight news story. Kudos