National holidays represent a golden age for the tourism industry. Hotels and restaurants are packed, with reservations sold out and tables packed.
Alejandro Frías, a waiter at a downtown restaurant, sums it up this way: “How many people do they expect to arrive? Triple the normal number.” While on a typical day they serve between five and eight tables, this September 15th the number skyrockets. “Per shift, about 30 or 40 tables,” he says with a laugh. And although he acknowledges that it’s a busy day, he distinguishes the differences between the celebrations: “I feel like the 2nd is more like eating, and the 15th is more like drinking and raw food.”
However, not all sectors celebrate the same boom. For handicraft vendors, the independence rally isn’t their best season. Grecia Serrato explains: “We hope things go very well for us, but the truth is we’re not hopeful because sales have been a bit quiet right now.”
The reasons, he assures, are clear: “Most people come mainly for the holidays… they come to celebrate the cry for independence more than to shop.” And for them, the real upswing comes weeks later. “The high seasons begin at the end of October, November, and December… people come to spend the Day of the Dead because it’s incredible and beautiful.”
