The Tourism Department projected an influx of more than 18,000 visitors in the tourist-restaurant zone
The approximately 14 restaurants that make up the area known as Piedra Barrenada expect a large influx of tourists during Easter Week. Photo: Héctor Ruiz.
Héctor Ruiz Mejía (Jocotepec).- Jocotepec expects a major influx of tourists during Easter Week, with a concomitant increase in economic revenue. The 14 restaurants of the tourist – gastronomic zone of San Juan Cosalá known as Piedra Barrenada, located in San Juan Cosalá, are preparing for a return to “normal” after a drop of approximately 75 percent in sales during last year’s holiday season.
According to Víctor Manuel Loza Ornelas, director of Tourism and Artisan Promotion, after two years of a complicated panorama in the sector due to the pandemic, this year more than 18,000 visitors are expected during Easter Week. Loza Ornelas stated that the economic revenue expected is approximately 4 million pesos per week (about US$200,000), or 8,000,000 pesos in total during the vacation season (about US$400,000). This is double the 2,000,000 pesos that are normally generated per week. «The economic revenue in a bad season, let’s say, goes above two million pesos, but in this season that amount doubles», he said.
Saulo Rameño Castañeda, manager of the 42-year-old Bar Piedra Barrenada Restaurant, is also optimistic. «The truth is that the last two years were very complicated. Although we were open last year, we did not take in what we expected. I estimate that there was a 50 percent decrease in sales. However, the outlook for this year is favorable,» he said. The businessman added that during the Holy Days this year, they will open longer hours, from 8 am. to 8 pm. In this busiest time of the year, they host up to 600 diners per day.
The year that had the greatest impact on the drop in sales was 2020, when health authorities forced businesses to close their doors for a month due to the sanitary contingency.
Translated by Elisabeth Shields
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