National holidays represent a golden age for the tourism industry. Hotels and restaurants are packed, with reservations sold out and tables packed.
Alejandro Frías, a waiter at a downtown restaurant, sums it up this way: “How many people do they expect to arrive? Triple the normal number.” While on a typical day they serve between five and eight tables, this September 15th the number skyrockets. “Per shift, about 30 or 40 tables,” he says with a laugh. And although he acknowledges that it’s a busy day, he distinguishes the differences between the celebrations: “I feel like the 2nd is more like eating, and the 15th is more like drinking and raw food.”
However, not all sectors celebrate the same boom. For handicraft vendors, the independence rally isn’t their best season. Grecia Serrato explains: “We hope things go very well for us, but the truth is we’re not hopeful because sales have been a bit quiet right now.”
The reasons, he assures, are clear: “Most people come mainly for the holidays… they come to celebrate the cry for independence more than to shop.” And for them, the real upswing comes weeks later. “The high seasons begin at the end of October, November, and December… people come to spend the Day of the Dead because it’s incredible and beautiful.”
Luis Vázquez, also a shopkeeper, agrees: “It’s a beautiful time because a lot of people come, but normally the busiest dates are November 2nd, which is when San Miguel is most coveted.”
The numbers prove it. “On the 15th, there are 100 people in the store… and on the 2nd? Two hundred,” he exemplifies.
So, while restaurants and bars celebrate one of their most lucrative days of the year, shopkeepers wait patiently: they know their real celebration will come in November, when the Day of the Dead makes them the center of attention.
Source: tv4noticias
