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Calm Elections Improve Tourism Picture

By: Patrick Ellis | Real Acapulco News - 03 February, 2011

(Acapulco, AN 3 February) Business leaders in Acapulco’s tourism sector have announced that February will be positive for the recreation industry. The first weekend, which starts tomorrow, is a long one. It is “Constitution Day” (February 5), which triggers a Monday holiday. In addition, the Mexican Open Tennis Tournament will start on February 21 in the Diamond Zone. Airlines refer to this event as “the best weekend of the year” because of all the visitors and players who flock to Acapulco for the five-day tourney.

Business people point to two other positive factors that portend well for February in Acapulco. One is the “Habla Bien de Aca” (Speak Well of Aca) campaign, promoted by FIDETUR, which has started to take hold among nightclubs, bars and restaurants. The other is the “saldo blanco” (“clean record”) for the elections last Sunday. The fact that there were no incidents of violence and that the outcome was accepted in peace by all, speaks well for the larger society of Acapulco, and helps clarify that the recent violence was restricted to a small number of delinquents.

One of the businessmen interviewed was Alfonso Patiño Anaya, who is launching “El Cielo,” a restaurant-bar on the Escénica, in the space formerly occupied by “Zuntra,” next to the Kookaburra restaurant. He said that everything is looking very good for his opening, with high hotel occupancy and a long weekend with many guests in town. He reiterated that the “Speak Well of Aca” campaign seems to be having a positive impact, and that almost all of the discos and bars seem to be on board with it. Hotel association leader Javier Saldívar Rodríguez, estimates that occupancy should rise to about 70% on Saturday night. He hoped the traffic police will leave them alone, “because there are many complaints against them, and for that reason, we want to ask the mayor to oversee the good treatment of our visitors, so that they will return.” Commuter airline Aeromar will double its flights on Friday and Monday to and from Mexico City.