During an interview with fishing leader Julio Alvarado Méndez, who currently directs the cooperative Esfuerzos Pesqueros en Progreso, he revealed that his group is getting ready to continue venturing into tourism, as they have been doing for 15 years, but now extending their services to other areas, since they do not see the arrival of the octopus catching season with much optimism.
This group has been offering the banana ride service on Progreso Beach for 15 years, so it is common to see their boat on the boardwalk on cruise days and when there is a high influx of visitors.
Providing this service was a decision that the group made some time ago, as an alternative measure to fishing, since it helps them generate some income when fishing is low.
Now, he indicated, they are preparing to offer a new tourist service that will consist of taking walks along the Progreso estuary, which offers a natural spectacle that has been little explored and that has a lot of tourist potential.
For the above, the cooperative collects ideas, defining prices, routes, and even promotional material for its activity to be able to start these tours as soon as possible.
Also, according to the fisherman, it is to ensure income for the families that are part of his group, since the octopus season is also approaching and there is no guarantee that there will be the necessary profits to support said households.
“We don’t know how it’s going to go, so we have to make sure; I believe that in tourism there is money, you just have to work for it,” he said.
He indicated that among the most complicated things is the adaptation of one of his boats because it is one of the most expensive things since it must be prepared to provide comfort and safety to the visitors, who will also have life jackets, will be able to listen to music while they walk and get to know the area, among other amenities they seek to offer. He also indicated that he knows that many fellow fishermen will not like him to take the first step to venture into what he calls “a new adventure” for his members, but he says that there is no envy and that if someone else wants to take the initiative and do their tours, they have every right to do so because they know that everyone wants to earn their bread.
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