The tourism offer in Acapulco, one of the most visited ports in Mexico, is still below 60% of its usual capacity one year after Hurricane Otis, the second most economically devastating event in the country's history.
Of the 19,600 available rooms before the cyclone, only 11,500 are currently enabled for tourists, representing 58.68% of the total, according to information provided by tourism authorities in the state of Guerrero, where Otis impacted on October 25, 2023. The hurricane went from a tropical storm to category 5 in less than 12 hours, setting a record.
The Mexican Association of Insurance Institutions (AMIS) reported that 44,653 claims were addressed for an estimated amount of 39.343 billion pesos (1.985 billion dollars) due to Otis, making it the second most costly hurricane in Mexico's history.
Recovery in the sector has been slow, as expressed by businessmen and workers in interviews. Luis Fernando Aguayo, an employee of a fully rehabilitated hotel on Costera Miguel Alemán, shared his experience highlighting the challenges they still face: "Everything is slow, at the family level (the recovery) is slow, everyone is asking for support, help, for us to be seen, for us to be observed, at the labor level there are many closed hotels."
Hurricane Otis significantly affected Acapulco's economy, where almost 90% of the inhabitants depend on tourism-related income. Alejandro Cabello, owner of a restaurant on Playa Bonfil, described the critical situation they lived through after the natural disaster and highlighted the ongoing financial, labor, and material availability challenges.
In addition to the devastation caused by Otis, the region was affected by Hurricane John, a category 3 storm, last September, adding more difficulties to the already battered tourism industry. The violence in Guerrero, resulting from the struggle between organized crime groups that has led the state to high homicide rates, represents another challenge for Acapulco's recovery.
Despite the obstacles, there is optimism in Acapulco's tourism sector looking ahead to the upcoming December holidays, hoping to achieve an average occupancy rate of 80%. Efforts are focused on overcoming adversities and revitalizing the tourist appeal of this iconic Mexican destination.
