After living a golden age in the first half of the last decade, the arrival of cruises to the Mexican port of Acapulco, has dramatic drop in three years to almost nothing.
A few years ago Mexico was the number one destination for cruise ship arrivals.
However, the problems of insecurity in Mexican Pacific destinations and the global economic crisis caused the crisis in the Mexiacn cruise industry.
Octavio González Flores, CEO of the Port Authority, said: "In those years where a cruise ship passenger was assaulted every time they came every week, then we are talking about 2008, 2009, and then further decomposes with the issue of organized crime and then there is the perception of security situation ".
The best year in Acapulco cruise was 2005 to record 146 arrivals, the following year, 2006, the number dropped to 123 arrivals.
By 2007 seemed to rebound to record the transatlantic port 135.
In 2008 there was a decline but still the numbers were encouraging, since 110 cruise ship arrived.
For 2009 accounted arrival of 100 ships.
In 2010 was achieved with 138 arrivals rebound, and then came the great crisis.
"In 2011 we began to have a drop to 81 ships, then in 2012 we went from having reservations 9, that was when he really massive cancellation in 2013 our expectations are 11 ships, last year we had nine" said Octavio González Flores.
The tourist service provider, Antonio Altamirano Carranza said: " One or two cruise ships come every month, that does not help, what helped was coming before almost every three days, every other day, were two, three cruise and that helps a lot to the economy of the port. "
The Port Authority of Acapulco recognizes that at present there is no confirmation of arrivals for the 2014 season, when in previous years by this time and the season was practically scheduled.
Local authorities recognize that the situation is worrying and hope that with the surveillance operations change the negative perception about port security.
According to the Port Authority of Acapulco each season through the cruise arrivals on average 200,000 to 250,000 passengers left $ 20 million.
