Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — Playa del Carmen Mayor Estefanía Mercado paid a visit to the most eroded beach areas of the city Thursday. She made the tour as part of a diagnosis of the municipal beaches to help create a strategy for their recovery.
“The beaches are one of the main assets that we have as a tourist destination in Playa del Carmen,” said Estefanía Mercado. She made the comment during a Thursday tour with various representatives who are working hand-in-hand with the government to promote the recovery of the beaches.
“Because our beaches are our greatest treasure and the heart of our tourism, we met with all sectors and all the important voices of Playa del Carmen to build together a comprehensive rescue plan that protects and conserves our coasts ensuring that they continue to be the pride of our people and a world-class destination,” she said.
Part of the tour included a walk through one of the most eroded central areas, Playa El Recodo. She pointed out that it is an area that has historically suffered greater erosion in the coastal strip of the municipality than any other.
Mercado said with business representatives headed by Lenin Amaro Betancourt, tourism service providers and representatives of the hotel sector and other local organizations, they agreed to the starting of a project.
The project, she reported, is “Diagnosis of the state of the beaches and comprehensive strategy for the study to confront the problems of erosion, risks and coastal vulnerability in the city of Playa del Carmen.”
Accompanied by the Secretaries of Environment and Climate Change, Samantha Álvarez, and of Tourism, Estefanía Hernández, as well as by the head of the Solidaridad Federal Maritime Land Zone (Zofemat) Irving Lili Madrigal, the Mayor highlighted the importance of teamwork to address this problem.
In this context, she reiterated her recognition of all tourism sectors interested in joining in the design of strategies for the recovery and conservation of beaches since they are the calling card of the destination and generators of well-being and prosperity for the families of Playa del Carmen.
She stressed that expert knowledge is required to address the issue of beach recovery, with a comprehensive, sustainable project and long-lasting benefits for the tourist destination.
The problem of beach erosion has been a growing concern over the past year. While the erosion is natural, elements such as tropical storms and hurricanes have worsened the already bad situation, causing a concern and a need for a repair strategy.
Last year a central Playa del Carmen hotel installed geotubes in front of their property to help lessen the effects of erosion. Playa del Carmen’s Secretary of Sustainable Environment and Climate Change filed a legal appeal against federal permits that authorized the artificial breakwater system.
