As weather patterns shift, Costa Mar's tourism operators face an uncertain season

The morning light at Punta Verde, a small dive resort on Costa Mar's northern coast, catches the shallow water with the clarity that has drawn tourists to the region for decades. But on a recent morning, as the resort manager walked the beach with a member of the Reef Monitoring Network, the conversation turned to uncertainty. The early arrival of nutrient stress in the mangrove stands—detected at the Bahía Profunda station—has forced the resort to reconsider its booking strategy for July and August, the peak tourism months.

Costa Mar's tourism economy rests on two pillars: the pristine reef systems that attract divers and snorkelers, and the reliable dry season that promises clear skies and calm seas. Climate variability is now testing both. The early stress markers detected this week are not yet visible to the naked eye, but they signal a departure from the predictable seasonal rhythm that the tourism sector has relied on for planning and investment. For operators like Punta Verde's manager, the question is no longer whether conditions will be perfect, but whether they will be acceptable.