A limited and concentrated increase in business was the assessment reported by restaurant owners in Cancún and Playa del Carmen during the recently concluded two-week holiday period.
Expectations for the sector remain low, at least until the summer season and larger events.
Perla Flores, president of the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Canirac) in Cancún, estimated that the overall increase was only between 5% and 10%, and only in a small number of establishments.
“The final result was not positive,” she stated. “During the first week, which saw the highest volume of tourists, only 20% of the sector registered an increase in sales. Most had typical results or even below expectations.”
She added that the second week saw even lower customer traffic, which worsened the outlook for businesses.
“Overall, we saw a 5 to 10% increase in sales, considering the small percentage of businesses that did experience growth,” he noted.
Given this situation, the sector will seek to work together with authorities to design strategies that incentivize consumption, considering that Cancún has a wide range of culinary options to suit all tastes and budgets.
Separately, Manuel Maldonado, director of Canirac in Playa del Carmen, indicated that the figures were below expectations, although not negative.
He explained that during the second week of vacation, many families prioritize returning to work and school, which reduces spending in restaurants.
Although he doesn’t have exact figures, he estimated that occupancy remained between 70% and 75% during the period.
“We had tourists; we did relatively well during Holy Week. Domestic tourism predominated, with few foreign visitors,” he commented. “There were diners, but not in the expected numbers.”
The sector also faces a complex environment marked by inflation and rising fuel costs, which directly impact operating expenses.
Given this, business owners must consider price adjustments, as reducing quality is not an option. Even menu changes involve additional expenses, such as printing menus in multiple languages.
Source: quintanaroohoy
