'No-Go Zones': Hotels Tackle Record Sargassum With Floating Ocean Barriers

Skift

09-07-2025

With more sargassum expected through the summer and in the future, both travelers and the hospitality industry are adapting but long-term solutions may require broader environmental and policy action.
A record mass of sargassum seaweed is impacting coastal areas and beaches across the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America this summer and more is on the way.
Satellite imagery shows massive floating masses of the brown seaweed drifting from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, a region now referred to as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt.
According to the University of South Florida, the sargassum has reached a record 38 million metric tons, causing disruptions to the area, including many beach resorts and hotels.
Satellite images from this week show Sargassum masses. Red shows areas with particulary large amounts of the seaweed. Credit: University of South Florida.
The worst-hit areas include Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Martinique, Guyana, and Mexico's Caribbean coast.
Some beachfront resorts are trying to shield guests from the unsightly and smelly seaweed.
Resorts and Tourists Tackle Rising Seaweed On Beaches
The 715-room Hilton Cancun has de