Adriana Diaz Reyes
Sent
La Jornada Newspaper
Friday, March 1, 2024, p. a10
Acapulco, Gro., Although the Mexican Tennis Open was the spearhead for the economic recovery of Acapulco, the attendance at the ATP 500 tournament is still far from that recorded in previous years.
The sporting level is not in doubt, as the main arena and secondary courts have witnessed close matches between players ranked among the 20 best in the world.
However, in its first three days of activity many seats looked empty, which contrasts with the almost 10 thousand fans per day that registered last year in its thirtieth edition.
From promoting a campaign linked to celebrating tennis and the quality of the players, the organizers had to change strategy and turn it into a call for the reconstruction of Acapulco.
We already knew the impact that the hurricane would have, so the drop in entries was expected. When we formally launched the Open, weeks before the tournament, it was practically sold out and then everything changed due to what happened last October, commented José Antonio Fernández, operational director of the tournament.
Although the complex does not look like in previous years, the attendance in the first three days exceeded what the organizers expected.
They expect increase
Although they are not one hundred percent rehabilitated, restaurants near the Mexican Open headquarters expect at least a minimal increase in attendance, as do dozens of small shops and street vendors selling crafts, sweets, coconuts and clothing.
From the first hours of the day, everything is ready to receive visitors, although they have not had much response.
Yesterday three people who were going to the stadium came to eat, but they are the only ones who have arrived this week. I remember that they were talking about how there were few people, commented Eduardo Abarca, who works as a waiter.
In previous years, the worker says, the tables at the María Teresa restaurant looked full hours before the games.
In general, only 20 percent of the people who came before have arrived. Many of the visitors were from outside and their homes were lost or badly damaged. We are hoping that more will come on Friday and Saturday so we can all have a little more income.
2024-03-01 07:59:40
#Reduced #influx #visitors #tournament
