Owners of ecotourism areas in the Sierra Madre Occidental, on the Durango side, confess that they are quite worried about what is happening in Sinaloa, because in one of the best times of the year for them, the rental cabins are almost empty, as cancellations have skyrocketed.
They say that there are two times of the year when the landscape of the Sierra de Durango becomes one of the main attractions: the rainy season (July to September) and obviously the cold season (November to February). In both it was practically impossible to find available cabins because the inhabitants of Sinaloa already had reservations in advance, but now it is not like that.
Although it is true that in Durango the situation is apparently calm, what has happened on the borders of both states has caused local and foreign tourists not to want to go due to the risk of violence affecting the neighboring state.
The economic losses due to the disruption of annual sporting events, such as the Mazatlán route for cyclists and racers, plus the cancellations of reservations that were already made, are considerable for those who work in this sector.
“Practically everything is cancelled, they are asking for refunds on reservations and people are afraid to come, even people from Durango, and that is despite the fact that there has not been a single case that affects the guest or us,” says the owner of some cabins.
Although surveillance on the roads that connect Durango and Mazatlán has been redoubled by federal and state authorities, the truth is that people are afraid. “There have been several days of violence in Culiacán, mainly, and there is no sign of when the situation will calm down,” says another businessman in the sector.
Those who agreed to speak with El Siglo de Durango about what they are experiencing requested anonymity for security reasons, although they also did not rule out asking for a meeting with state authorities to be able to implement security operations in these recreational areas, which would allow visitors to feel more at ease.
“Yes, we cannot do anything about the situation on that side (Sinaloa), but let’s see how we can come to an agreement among those on this side (Durango) so that, together, we can transmit this tranquility to the visitor and reactivate the economic activity on which many families in the state depend,” they said.
“Yes, there are soldiers and police patrolling, but that has not been enough in recent weeks to change that perception. It is difficult for people from Sinaloa, Nuevo León or Coahuila to come with what is happening, but at least we can tell the people of Durango that they can come and enjoy the Sierra,” they concluded.
Source: elsiglodedurango
