Dear Tammy: My destination wedding brides who want to get married in Mexico are concerned because it looks like the seaweed problem there is not getting any better. What do I tell them?

Tammy: Yes, you are correct. There are a few coastal towns in Mexico that are getting hit hard with lots of seaweed, aka sargassum. The unfortunate thing about this type of seaweed is that it's not only unpleasant to look at, it also smells bad. When it finally does drop onto the bottom of the ocean, it tends to damage any existing coral.

The towns being hit the hardest include Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. It's also affecting many other countries bordering the Caribbean Sea. Online updates on the situation are available.

This seaweed invasion is definitely a problem. Couples wanting to get married in Mexico choose this destination because of the warm sun, the white sand beaches and the sparkling clear blue waters. Now that there's tons of seaweed lining many of the beaches, engaged couples are struggling with what to do.

Authorities in Mexico are currently working on how to stop the invasion before it can reach actually the beaches. They're also looking into ways to remove the seaweed, but are concerned that it will harm the local wildlife, like sea turtles living in it. But how does that help engaged couples who are wanting to get married in Mexico now?

You can contact some of the major resorts in Mexico to find out exactly what they're doing to remove the seaweed from their beaches. For example, the Royal Sands, the Royal Caribbean and the Royal Islander have all hired an external company to clean their beaches. Other resorts are using their own staff to remove the seaweed, and/or using beach sweepers to sweep the beach free of the seaweed.

So what do you tell your clients who want to get married in Mexico yet are concerned about the seaweed problems? You always want to keep in close contact with your clients, as this is an essential part of growing your client base. You also want to be completely honest with them, as when you are, they will trust you.

Tell your clients that all Mexican resort are currently working to fix the problem. Tell them that there are some beaches that are less affected than others. Tell them you will call the resorts yourself to get an update, and when you get a reply, you will contact them to give them this updated information.

This type of situation is a perfect example for why everyone should use a travel agent. As a professional travel agent, you should always have the inside scoop on what's happening in the travel world.

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

Topics From This Article to Explore