Acapulco's beaches reopen after three months in quarantine
Acapulco, iconic Mexican Pacific seaside resort, resumes its activity this July with the expected reopening of beaches and the desire to regain its shine after three months in quarantine.
With crystalline beaches, a radiant sun and an extraordinary climate, the coastal city reopened its beaches, hotels and restaurants this July to tourists, after turning orange at the epidemiological traffic light that allows knowing what activities are reopening in Mexico.
"Today we begin this stage of reopening but in a moderate way. People will have the opportunity to visit the beaches but with respect, we have to adapt to the new reality that we are experiencing," the Municipal Tourism Secretary, Jose Luis, told EFE. Basil.
Acapulco ranks first in the southern state of Guerrero with 3,228 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 495 deaths, of the 5,638 cases and 914 deaths in Guerrero, according to the most recent report.
The State Secretary of Health, Carlos de la Peña Pintos, announced that the hospital occupation of the port had a decrease of 7 percentage points, with 44% of beds occupied by COVID-19.
BATHROOM WITH PROTOCOLS
Despite the fact that the golden beaches are one of the main tourist attractions of the port for their warm water, they now have a 12-hour access schedule; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.
In addition to the fact that rules have been added for your entry, so you must use mouth masks. Only individual activities such as walking, running or swimming are allowed, and meetings of a maximum of three people, keeping the distance.
For this reason, beach furniture, food consumption and beverages have been banned at the time.
For the port, the model of the tourist service has changed and today the issue of health has more weight, which is why service providers consider it an area of opportunity to attract a more responsible tourist.
TO STOP THE DEBACLE
"It is also up to us to see that this does not happen again and to close again. Right now tourism is going to feel a little strange with the new way of working, but people have to understand it to avoid infections," he said. to EFE the president of the Caleta and Caletilla restaurateurs, José Luis Laredo Vargas.
The Guerrero Business Coordinating Council (CCE) reported that in April and early May alone, 60,000 jobs were lost in the state due to the health emergency, of which 10,000 were formal jobs.
Although hope is beginning to breathe in Acapulco, the reality of being the tourist destination of yesteryear is far from being seen.
"More than 480 businesses will not be able to open their doors again due to economic problems that the pandemic has left to micro and medium-sized companies," announced the president of the State Federation of Chambers of Commerce in the state of Guerrero, Alejandro Martinez Sidney.
LONGED FOR NIGHTLIFE
For the city's businessmen, it was not enough to reopen the hotel business in order to reactivate the local economy, since they consider that a good part of the total income comes from nightlife.
"Bars and discos represent 40% of the income for Acapulco," emphasized Martinez Sidney, regretting that there is not yet a date for the reopening of bars, discos and entertainment centers, among others.
THE NEW NORMALITY
In the winter vacation season 2019-2020 alone, more than half a million tourists visited the port of Acapulco, leaving an economic spill of 2.765 million pesos (about 123 million dollars).
"We already have reservations for tomorrow. Let's wait little by little to go up," the manager of the Elcano Hotel, Pedro Haces, told EFE, who encouraged tourists to stay inside the hotel and follow the established regulations.
But not everyone liked the new normality with which Acapulco will receive them, so tourists have complained about the rules they have to abide by in order to stay on the beaches.
"How am I going to be with a face mask in the sea, it is illogical as well as not being able to pass my food," said a tourist to the security forces who are at the main accesses to the beaches and report on the measures established .
While for others, it is a privilege to be able to be back to "paradise".
"It is very hot to wear a mask on the beach, but it is the price you have to pay. It is either this or being locked in your house," said Laura, who, along with her husband and two children, wanted to venture into the new normal at the port.
Acapulco woke up on its first day of reopening with 1.5% hotel occupancy and it is expected that on July 6, informal beach sales activities will be reactivated under the regulation and control of authorities.
