The relative chill that has affected Yucatan since Wednesday has affected tourist-centered businesseses on the coast.
The storm surge has also piled sargassum — the stinky algae that has plagued beaches — onto Progreso’s shores once again.
Cold Front 23, as it is called by local weather authorities, coincided with the arrival of the cruise ship Valor on Thursday, driving visitors to inland excursions. Gift shops and restaurants on the malecon reported low sales.
But twice as many tourists as usual toured archaeological ruins and cenotes across Yucatan.
Despite being a “cruise ship day,” the malecon, or boardwalk, of the port city looked almost deserted, with just some hearty souls wandering the shoreline.
Weather is expected to improve in the coming days, an encouraging forecast for local businesses. In the meantime, artisans told a reporter that the beach needs a richer array of attractions to keep tourists on the malecon.
