Up to 35 businesses have permanently closed since late May in the tourist areas of the Romantic Zone and Downtown Puerto Vallarta, reflecting the challenges facing the commercial sector during the summer season.
The president of Coparmex Puerto Vallarta, Francisco Vizcaíno Rendón, said that among the main factors behind these closures are macroeconomic conditions, inflation, high rental costs, and, in some areas, problems related to water supply.
The hotel entrepreneur also explained that the business organization began tracking the closures in late May.
According to Vizcaíno Rendón, the number could be higher because the count only covers the Romantic Zone and Downtown, without including other areas and neighborhoods of the city.
“Around Pride, we began seeing and keeping track of permanent business closures. So far, we have counted approximately 35 businesses that have closed just in the Romantic Zone and Downtown, without considering some other areas and neighborhoods as well,” he said.
Vizcaíno Rendón explained that the closures have affected businesses from various sectors, so there is no single industry accounting for the losses.
Among the affected businesses, he mentioned clothing boutiques, cafés, small restaurants, souvenir shops, and establishments located in shopping centers.
“From clothing boutiques, some cafés, some small restaurants, souvenir shops, a little bit of everything; we’re seeing it in shopping centers as well,” he added.
In addition to economic factors, problems with the water supply in different parts of Puerto Vallarta have also affected businesses, particularly establishments involved in food preparation and sales.
The business leader mentioned impacts in neighborhoods such as Sauces, Villas del Puerto, La Aurora, Aralias, and Pitillal, where water shortages have become an additional source of pressure for restaurants and other businesses.
For Coparmex, this situation represents a warning sign that requires attention and the development of a strategy to strengthen Puerto Vallarta’s economic and tourism activity.
“This has us, so to speak, on alert and paying attention. We have talked about how it is important to restructure and make sure this is no longer just a matter of complaints, but rather a matter of building a tourism strategy for Puerto Vallarta,” Vizcaíno Rendón said.
The situation reported by the business organization contrasts with other competitiveness indicators.
The 2026 Urban Competitiveness Index by IMCO ranked Puerto Vallarta among the cities with the strongest performance and capacity to attract investment and tourism.
However, the business sector warns that the destination’s positive indicators must be accompanied by actions addressing local problems such as operating costs, access to water, and the economic conditions faced by small and medium-sized businesses.
The closure of businesses in tourist areas represents a significant figure for the local economy, especially in a city where a large portion of employment depends on tourism, services, commerce, and the restaurant industry.
Although the summer season is usually challenging for some types of businesses, Coparmex considers it necessary to address the conditions putting pressure on commercial establishments to prevent further impacts in the coming months.
Source: mexicodailypost
