«One prefers not to get involved in these things, because when you ask, they tell you that a sandwich, a pair of flip-flops, or a candy costs more than 100 pesos».
The Coffee, Chocolate and Wine Festival was held on January 8 and 9 at the Ajijic Malecon.
Sofía Medeles (Ajijic, Jal.)– Although the «Coffee, Chocolate and Wine Festival» was well attended by tourists, the “Ajijitecos” or local residents didn’t like the event because they felt that this type of festival does not help local commerce and only benefits a few.
According to 14 locals interviewed at the festival held last weekend (January 8 and 9), it is the foreign merchants who are taking advantage of the Pueblo Mágico designation, which in fact doesn’t benefit local commerce, but rather harms it, in addition to the fact that the prices are too high for local people.
«They are only using the Pueblo Mágico designation to benefit a few, because not all of us produce the kind of things they sell at these festivals, and besides, they are expensive. Only tourists or Americans can afford to buy things from there. Many of us would like festivals that are really made for ajijitecos,» said Luis, who was present on the malecón with his family while the event was taking place.
The event, installed on the Ajijic boardwalk corridor, was attended by around 50 exhibitors, who competed with the merchants who set up shop on the boardwalk every weekend.
The street merchants interviewed pointed out that there was a lot of tourism, but sales did not go well, since the public concentrated on the festival, which offered a variety of products ranging from food and handicrafts to art pieces.
“Yes, there are a lot of people, but we’ve hardly sold anything. Look, those from the festival sell the same things I do, and that’s why I haven’t sold much,» complained one of the street merchants who set up shop in the handicraft corridor on one side of the Ajijic pier.
Ignacio, an Ajijic native, said that people don’t even come to browse, thinking that these are products they can’t afford to buy. «One prefers not to get involved in these things. Apart from the fact that there are always a lot of people who must crave these products, and I say crave, because when you ask, they tell you that a sandwich, a pair of flip-flops, or a sweet is more than 100 pesos. That’s very different, for example, from the sales that take place during the November holidays, where you know that you will be able to afford many things.”
A woman named Brenda García, originally from San Miguel de Allende, commented that something similar happens where she comes from, and stated that she believes that this happens in places where there is a lot of tourism. «What happens in Ajijic is a controversy that also happens in San Miguel de Allende, a tourist town in Guanajuato. Suddenly there are events that are focused more on tourism, or who can spend. The difference is that over there they are usually held in private places such as restaurants or vineyards, thus better targeting the public they want.”
Maximiliano «Max» Macias Arceo, in charge of the office of the Ajijic delegation, commented that one of the main problems that may cause these opinions are the high prices of the exhibitors, but that it’s not possible to compare products that companies manufacture to the handmade products.
«Between a product from an established company and one from an artisan there is no point of comparison. We understand that the prices they charge don’t suit us, but we must also consider that they come from distant places, such as Morelia, Yucatán, Oaxaca, Michoacán, and they have to cover those large expenses, so we can’t put conditions on their prices. Even so, I hope that in the future we can have more balanced events, so that we all have the opportunity to buy something we like.»
The Coffee, Chocolate and Wine Festival was born in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, a little over three years ago, and this year, for the first time, it is being held in Jalisco. The event brought exhibitors from various parts of the country – for example, Oaxaca, Mérida, Yucatán, Michoacán – and not only exhibited food, but also crafts and local art.
Translated by Sandy Britton and Patrick O’Heffernan
Los comentarios están cerrados.
© 2016. Todos los derechos reservados. Semanario de la Ribera de Chapala