The red numbers presented during this year’s summer season in the port, with low visitor numbers and limited spending in places like the Traditional Malecón de Progreso, have raised concerns among those in the industry. In addition to meager profits from national tourists, international visitors are also hesitant to spend their dollars generously in the municipality.
The vacation season has been labeled a failure due to the lack of arrivals exceeding 40,000 people throughout the coastal area. Several residents blame this on the presence of sobriety checkpoints that caused fear among visitors, with constant complaints and disputes between tourists and some law enforcement officers.
For the second consecutive year, traders in the port and surrounding communities have had no profits. In 2022, the cause was a red tide that persisted for several days, especially in August.
A different scenario unfolded during Easter, where sales remained high, allowing merchants and workers to settle debts and catch up on losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that began in March 2020 and lasted until mid-September. During that time, there were several restrictions for visitors and various types of establishments.
According to the Canaco-Servytur figures based in the municipality, earnings exceeded 650 million pesos, with over a million visitors in 15 days. Unfortunately, security issues frequently plagued the city.
Regarding the drownings that marred the Easter holidays in April, the appeal is directed at beachgoers who tend to get drunk and enter the water. The last five deaths that occurred in Progreso were due to this cause.
Manuel Conteras Alcalá, head of the National Chamber of Commerce in this port, stated that the profits were distributed individually. Apart from beachfront towns, these results also affected 30,000 people with direct jobs and another 30,000 with indirect or temporary work.
The Carnival remains the only period where the influx of over a million visitors, both from within the country and from different nations, is highlighted. In addition, the commercial sector earned 420 million pesos.
The recent incidents on the Malecón have also raised concerns, as during the summer vacation days, brawls occurred during popular dances in Chicxulub and the port of Chelem, involving more than 10 people.
Expectations remain as this weekend marks the first one outside of the vacation season. Regarding international tourism, the limited spending by cruise ship visitors has led local workers to consider national visitors as the primary source of income.
TYT Newsroom
