A local movement opposing Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico development is gaining momentum.
More than 200,000 signatures have been collected against the private destination project at Mahahual, Mexico.
The project beside the Port of Mahahual is targeting completion by 2027.
The opposition campaign against the development was only recently launched by divemaster Morgane Vainberg and has gained traction rapidly.
Critics Say Development Would Damage Protected Mangrove Forest
“A massive project led by Royal Caribbean threatens the very existence of Mahahual, a coastal town bordering the world’s second-largest coral reef. This project involves the construction of a 90-hectare water park on a protected mangrove forest, a natural barrier essential to marine life, ecological balance, and our future,” Vainberg wrote.
“This project directly threatens: our rights of access and use of the sea, beaches, and mangroves, our local identity and our way of life.” Last month, Royal Caribbean officially took control of the Port area.
“We are now administrators of the port and have begun working on the development of Perfect Day Mahahual,” said Jay Schnaider, Director of Product Innovation for Royal Caribbean. Construction is expected to take about two years.
Vainberg says local people are not being consulted on the development. “The authorities have no obligation to consult the local population. “We are not opposed to development or tourism. But we believe in a model based on sustainability, respect for ecosystems, and justice for local communities”.
She says Perfect Day Mexico has the potential to handle up to 20,000 cruise guests per day which will generate “tons of chemical sunscreen, plastic waste, water-polluting mega-cruise ships, and absurd freshwater consumption.”
Perfect Day Mexico’s Waterpark will feature Jaguar’s Peak, dubbed the tallest waterslide tower in the Americas, the tallest family raft slide, and the world’s longest lazy river at Splash Cove. It will also have dedicated adult-only and family zones.
