Those affected in Acapulco by Otis still see risks in their best income season

On the eve of the December holidays more than 2,000 mexicans who are dedicated to tourism and the servicesonly in the Diamante area of ​​Acapulco, still see risks to their income after Otiswhich hit the city as Hurricane 5 and left devastation in this resort, one of the most important tourist centers in the country.

In the town of Alfredo V. Bonfil, one of the neighborhoods of Acapulco, where its inhabitants have been affected for 39 days by the meteor that hit the coasts of the southern state of Guerrero on October 25, restaurants are now facing the effects of the phenomenon of ‘Swell’ in the Mexican Pacific, caused mainly by storms at sea.

These phenomena have caused serious damage to at least 40 restaurants on this strip of the coast of the southern Mexican state of Guerrero and these small businessmen affirm that they have dealt the final blow to their businesses and main economic activities, since the strong waves have has stolen 200 meters of sand strip.

On this stretch of coast they had some cabins, hammocks, and lounge chairs installed where visitors used to rest and sunbathe; as well as swimming pools or spaces to watch the sunsets that today have been relegated by wooden logs, stones and bags with gravel or cement to protect and save the foundations of the businesses.

Restaurateur Blanca Esthela Latabán assured EFE that the family business has been operating in this town for 60 years, but now it has ‘severe’ damage, which has caused a “worrying” situation for her family.

“Everyone is trying to defend their heritage as best they can (…) never in our lives have we had the sea so close as the hurricane has not left it, we are even afraid that it will not return to its level, it has robbed us of 200 meters of beach”, he commented.

Mexican Miguel Márquez, 21 years old and who has been a waiter since he was 15, said he hoped this year would be a good holiday season, since he is expecting his first child.

He recalled that at the end of the year he can save around 20,000 pesos (about US$ 1.45), which would help him make different payments and expenses, such as his mortgage, the repair of his motorcycle and especially save for your baby’s expenses.

He pointed out that what businesses require is to start operating as soon as possible, in order to reactivate the local economy.

Hard blow to businessmen

The tourism expert, Sergio Mejía, assured that the December season is the most important for Acapulco, so this type of damage is a hard blow for micro, small and medium-sized businesses.

He added that these times “they were an oxygen” to reach the ‘Holy Week’ season, which he considered to be the second most important for Acapulco.

“Acapulco is not a tourist destination that we have an occupation all year round, (here) unfortunately we live by season: December, which is the best, Easter, summer and long weekends”he detailed.

Hotel and restaurant businessmen trust that tourism will soon return to Acapulco, while the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has promised to lift Acapulco from disaster before Christmas.

Acapulco was the city most affected by Hurricane Otis, which left 50 dead after making landfall on October 25 in the southern state of Guerrero, where it broke the intensification record for a cyclone in Mexico and, according to estimates, has left losses of US$ 16.00 million.