As the end of the year approaches, Acapulco is gearing up to welcome tourists once again with 4,500 hotel rooms now available in 127 hotels, Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco Marqués announced on Wednesday.

This is a surprising amount of hotel capacity, given that the sector initially aimed to have a minimum of 36 operational hotels and 3,500 rooms by April 2024, to host the next annual “Tianguis Turístico” or national tourism fair.

Acapulco is recovering from the devastating aftermath of Otis, the strongest hurricane ever to hit Mexico’s Pacific Coast, damaging much of the port city when it made landfall on Oct. 25. The hurricane killed 50 people, with 31 still reported as missing according to government figures.

Which hotels have reopened? 

Of the 127 reopened hotels, 58 two-to-four-star hotels are located in the Zona Dorada (Golden Zone). These hotels include major sites such as Emporio, Playa Suites, Jazmín Suites, and others on the Costa Azul (Blue Coast).

In the La Tradicional area, 57 hotels have reopened their doors, including the iconic Mirador Hotel in La Quebrada, where the famed cliff divers’ show has resumed.

In Pie de la Cuesta, Rocío and Acapulquito, hotels and beach clubs have also reopened, including the La Cabañita beach club.

Meanwhile, hotels such as Holiday Inn and Las Brisas in the iconic Zona Diamante (Diamond Zone) have opened rooms for booking. 

Which restaurants have reopened?

Some restaurants on the Bonfil, San Andrés, Playa Encantada, and Playa Las Gloria beaches have resumed business, as well as restaurants in the Caleta, Caletilla, and La Tradicional areas. 

How much has recovery cost?

Torruco said that the unexpectedly fast restoration of parts of the beach destination for the winter holidays was the result of collaboration between the public and private sectors.

The federal government has thus far allotted 61.3 billion pesos (US $3.5 billion) for the reconstruction of Acapulco, although business leaders have estimated the recovery costs could be as high as US $17.2 billion.

Federal support for the rebuilding of Acapulco includes exemptions for electricity payments and tax credits for small businesses. The government has also announced that it will cover 50% of the interest on commercial loans provided to hoteliers.

Torruco called on travel agencies and tour operators to “promote this destination and, together, make Acapulco shine again.”

With reports from Expansión