General view of a beach with very little influx of people due to low hotel occupancy after the passage of ‘Hurricane Otis’, on December 23, 2023, in Acapulco, state of Guerrero (Mexico). EFE/ David Guzmán
Acapulco (Mexico), Dec 25 (EFE).- With half-empty beaches and the scarce presence of tourists, businessmen’s anguish and uncertainty are growing about what will happen in the most important season of the year for Acapulco, in the southern Mexican state. of Guerrero, two months after the devastating hurricane ‘Otis’.
The income from banana inflatables and jet skis is minimal, which is causing a very serious economic situation in the nautical sector.
Jesús Martínez tells EFE that his family, which is dedicated to renting nautical equipment, lost four boats after the impact of the historic hurricane, and now they only work with one that is stopped most of the time, as well as the motorcycles that are waiting on the strip of sand.
“The situation is very bad, so we are just beginning to live. We are just making ends meet to eat. The arrival of tourism is very slow, it causes great anguish that we all have. The income is very slow, it is just taking out money to eat, nothing more,” he commented.
In the case of waiter Andrés Pérez, who has worked for several years in a restaurant on Papagayo beach, in the heart of the Golden Zone of the port, the Christmas season looks a complicated panorama. Although he recognizes that “Acapulco is standing”, the beaches, businesses, restaurants and hotels are empty, but they are hopeful that after December 25 the economic situation will improve.
Hotel businessman Jorge Laura speaks with EFE about the low influx of tourists, on December 23, 2023, in Acapulco, Guerrero state (Mexico). EFE/ David Guzmán——-
Remember that the last days of December are the most important, especially the 31st, since the end of the year celebration was very important so furniture reservations were made in advance; Now they don’t have a single one, plus the business owner preferred to cancel the New Year’s Eve dinner.
“It affects us a lot, we expected a little more, perhaps we as beach service providers, perhaps in other places as companies because they have secure salaries, we are commission agents and we hope to see more influx, both local and tourist. Compared to other years we are very low,” said Pérez.
Hotels in the area used to be the most crowded by the hundreds of tourists who visit the port, the beaches of the Costera were the most crowded, however, you can see empty tables and chairs, as well as umbrellas waiting to be occupied, Even the furniture that is rented, that is placed, is minimal.
Hotel businessman Jorge Laura assures that several are operating normally, this is the case of his company, which opened with an occupancy of 80% and hopes that by the end of the month all its rooms will be working, although he asks for understanding from visitors, because It has many limitations in services, problems with telephony and pay television.
“I think that we are in a position to be able to work in a limited way, there are some services that are not yet working and operating at 100%, but we are already in the process and conditions to be able to work and be able to gradually reactivate the activity here from Acapulco,” he stated.
For Jorge Laura, the economic situation that the hotel sector is experiencing “is very worrying”, especially due to the announcement of the closure of several hotels, various companies and recognized brands in the port, as well as the dismissal of the staff who worked, but the majority The concern is the cancellations of reservations that occur every day.
Photograph of a restaurant without customers on December 23, 2023, in Acapulco, Guerrero state (Mexico). . EFE/ David Guzmán
“There is a lot of mistrust on the part of visitors about being able to come to Acapulco, there are cancellations that are occurring, we were already 100% sold out of the season before the hurricane. The end of year season in Acapulco is always a high season, with a lot of occupancy and we have seen how some cancellations have come, but at the same time when the news became known that some companies are already reactivated,” he assured.
For the businessman, the economic support for the reconstruction of Acapulco that the federal government has provided has been a respite and somewhat palliative for the inhabitants, but he acknowledged that this resource “will not last all the time.”
“We hope that tourists can give us their trust, can come and be generous as always, although we recognize that they come aware that they will find an Acapulco with limitations, with some shortcomings in terms of services, tourist areas that they can visit for walks, recreation and fun but “Not all of them are ready and prepared to receive them,” he indicated.
The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, during his visit last Wednesday to Acapulco, assured that there were already 127 hotels operating after the passage of Hurricane Otis and they expect this number to increase in the coming weeks.
Source: EFE
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2023-12-26 16:36:15
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