How Tourism in the Caribbean has been affeced by Algal Bloom

 The Caribbean Tourism industry is a booming and very profit able profitable market within the  Caribbean. according to the Caribbean Tourism and Development :An overview report the total global tourism flow arrivals to the Caribbean region in 2003 was around 17.1 million. While Hugh Cresser & Associate in their Partnership Strategies  to increase profitability report state that visitors to the Caribbean spent a total of $27.5 billion in 2012  which was and a 3.6 percent increase from the previous year 2011.

In order to try to preserve thee lucrative Caribbean tourism industry Mexican authorities  will spend $9.1 million to hire 4,600 workers to clean up seaweed in the current crisis that the Caribbean  is under going with the  sargassum "stinking seaweed" algal bloom  through the Caribbean waters.
 This crisis has said to be affecting over 15 Caribbean nations and many of the  tourism authorities fear that this would affect their the number of visitors to the area  in  the long term. This indeed seems to be the case as visitors are complaining about the foul smelling  seaweed and the biting flies they attract. according to the Guardian's There has been many reports from many hotel resorts etc across the Caribbean, of reservation being canceled as a result of the seaweed's appearance.

with the appearance of it people in the effort of the clean up process have be encourage  to find some economic use of the seaweed. for example

• using the seaweed as food, many restaurants have played with the idea of making the seaweed into a Caribbean delicacy as seaweed has been part of the  Irish, Scottish and Asian diets for generations   

Photo from: http://www.green-parrot.co.uk/seaweed-cooking/

• some people inn the agricultural industry have been urged and encourage to use the  seaweed as land fertilizer as their ability to concentrate minerals and trace elements form the sea render them a potent source of nutrients for crop cultivation

Photo show Seaweed mulch from:http://learn.eartheasy.com/2010/09/how-to-use-seaweed-to-mulch-your-garden/

• The creative people working for the tourism industry have also found ways of incorporating seaweed into the many of our cultural arts and crafts making it an excellent form of creating interesting souvenirs 

Photo of seaweed and coral art from:http://www.dominica-island.info/coral-reef-and-seaweed-craft/

• There has also been interests in trying to make a type of Bio-fuel from the seaweed as they are rich in many nutrients and minerals

Photo of seaweed being harvested from http://innovatedevelopment.org/2014/04/13/seaweed-biofuel-promotes-island-self-sustainability

Photo of Algal Bio-fuel produced form: http://innovatedevelopment.org/2014/04/13/seaweed-biofuel-promotes-island-self-sustainability