How Bahia Principe is successfully tackling sargassum in the south

A fence system installed to protect the beaches from sargassum seaweed is proving to be an excellent defence for the Riviera Maya, rejoices Michelle Grenier, the Quebec representative of Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts.

READ MORE: Mexico's sargassum problem now extends all the way to West Africa

Currently in the Dominican Republic, Grenier confirmed to PAX that Bahia has hired a firm that has specialized in tackling sargassum for more than 20 years. Grenier welcomes the results obtained by the firm that have been successful in mitigating the presence of sargassum in some of the brand's most popular beachfronts. 

95% less sargassum

Earlier this week, Michelle Grenier shared an article from Europa Press on her Facebook page stating that thanks to this initiative, Bahia Principe has been able to reduce almost all of the sargassum present on its Riviera Maya beaches.

The article states that Grupo Piñero (the prestigious Spanish group that owns Bahia Principe) has launched a comprehensive coastal management plan in the three Caribbean destinations where it is present— Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. Thanks to the barrier system, the group managed to reduce the levels of sargassum by 95 per cent on the beach fronts of four of its properties located on the Riviera Maya.

"This project is part of Bahia Principe's commitment to sustainable development and protection of the aquatic system deployed in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica," said Grenier.

In addition to beach preservation, the Grupo Piñero Coastal Management plan includes actions related to the protection of the aquatic system as well as awareness and education measures for coastal communities. 

In time, Groupo Piñero hopes that the hydrodynamic imbalance will be mitigated, while promoting the sustainable use of resources and improving the resilience of these resources to climate change.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!