The Caribbean will likely need to invest about $120 million to clean up beaches affected by Sargasso seaweed algae.
The unsightly appearance and strong stink of the seaweed has caused many people to cancel high season vacations throughout the region.
University of the West Indies vice-chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles said that figure would be needed along with about 100,000 people to clear dozens of beaches blanketed in seaweed on Trinidad and Tobago, St Maarten, Puerto Rico, Barbados and other islands.
Beckles has called for an emergency agency to be established to coordinate the clean-up.
Apart from the obvious impact to tourism, the seaweed also threatens the fishing industry and islanders’ health.
Tourism generated a record $29.2 billion in the Caribbean last year, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation reported.
"This is a threat not only to our tourism product, it is also a threat to our regional economy. We have a tourism brand built around the beauty of our marine ecologies and our beaches," said Sir Hilary, calling it ‘the greatest single threat’ to the Caribbean.
