Brenda Escobar, Zihuatanejo – The international tourist season, which traditionally runs from October to the end of April, has not yielded the expected numbers for the commercial and service sector in the La Madera tourist area of Zihuatanejo. Managers of guesthouses and condominiums in this iconic area agreed that… Continue reading: International Tourist Season Hasn’t Been as Good, Zihuatanejo Residents Complain
The international tourist season, which traditionally runs from October to the end of April, has not yielded the expected numbers for the commercial and service sector in the La Madera tourist area of Zihuatanejo.
Managers of guesthouses and condominiums in this iconic area agreed that the economic impact has been hampered by a change in the visitor profile and the gradual abandonment of traditional lodging options.
One of the managers consulted explained that, unlike previous years, the number of tourists from the United States was noticeably lower, attributing this absence to the ongoing conflict in that country. Instead, he indicated, the main influx has been from Canada, a sector that, while loyal to the destination, maintains a much more austere and planned consumption pattern that doesn’t fully benefit the local restaurant industry.
According to another service provider consulted, these visitors can no longer properly be called “tourists” because of the length of their stay in the port, which ranges from three to five months. “They have become temporary residents who have learned to navigate the tourist costs of the area.”
“They no longer come to spend money in La Madera’s restaurants every day. As frequent residents, they know perfectly well where to buy their groceries in the markets or supermarkets at local prices, thus avoiding the expenses that a passing tourist would incur. They even refer to themselves as ‘zancas’ (a local term used by the residents of this area).”
He added that this market transformation has directly impacted property occupancy in the area, explaining that “the current trend among the foreign community is to acquire their own land to build beach houses, allowing them to stop paying the typically high monthly rents during the winter season.”
This residential expansion has shifted to the eastern coastal area of the municipality, as places like Playa Larga and Playa Blanca, and even the neighboring tourist area of La Ropa, have seen an increase in the construction of private homes owned by foreigners who previously stayed in the town center or in La Madera.
Despite the decrease in income from lodging and services, the local business sector remains divided, as the two service providers consulted acknowledge that the foreign community “has woven a social support network that is vital for the development of the municipality.”
Through significant events, such as the SailFest, these temporary residents manage to raise substantial sums of money.
These resources are directly allocated to improving the infrastructure of elementary and high schools, addressing needs that educational authorities often overlook.
Business owners in La Madera acknowledge that this social commitment is what makes foreigners always welcome. “Many of them have become so involved in local issues that they are no longer seen as outsiders, but as an active and supportive part of the Zihuatanejo community, taking care of the environment they have chosen to live in.”
Source: suracapulco
