Mazatlán’s restaurant sector is looking to recover in 2026, following the impact of insecurity and the decline in tourism recorded during 2025.
Mazatlán, Sinaloa – Roberto Osuna Valdez, president of the Mazatlán National Gastronomic Council (Conagam), stated that Mazatlán restaurateurs are starting 2026 with optimism that they will be able to achieve a recovery, after the violence in Sinaloa affected the sector during the past year.
“I think 2026 will be much better than 2025. People, I have to say this with a grain of salt, are getting used to it. The last two weekends of December saw Mazatlán pick up, with a surge in sales. In January, despite the post-holiday slump, the numbers are better than last year,” Osuna Valdez said.
During 2025, Mazatlán’s restaurant sector felt the effects of the security crisis that began in September 2024, as a result of the confrontation between rival factions of organized crime in the state.
According to the latest information available in the federal Tourism Secretariat’s open data database, DataTur, Mazatlán experienced a 13.64% drop in tourist arrivals in the first 11 months of 2025, equivalent to 319,601 fewer visitors.
This situation jeopardized the sector, forcing them to take action to remain operational.
In Mazatlán, reinvention became a necessity.
For Osuna Valdez, 2025 was a year of learning about what Mazatlán’s restaurant sector “was doing well, and what it was doing wrong.” The period of tourism depression brought with it the urgent need for transformation, he asserted.
“If they were selling dinners, they started offering breakfasts. If they were already selling breakfasts, they began varying their hours. Delivery service has increased by 50% here in Mazatlán; it’s number one at night. I define it this way: 2024 and 2025 were years of learning, and those who knew how to adapt survived,” added Osuna Valdez.
The restaurateur considered that, amidst the financial blow the sector received due to the crisis of insecurity and violence, there were also lessons learned that now allow the remaining restaurateurs to face 2026 with good prospects.
“It taught us that we have to offer promotions, that we have to be better, provide better service to compete with other ports that actually had a system in place to respond to all of these issues.”
Opportunities for Mazatlán’s Gastronomic Sector in 2026
Osuna Valdez explained that restaurant owners expect a recovery in 2026 compared to 2025. He mentioned that some of the opportunities include the events Mazatlán hosts during the first half of the year.
“The 2026 Carnival is coming up very quickly, at the beginning of February. They chose a great lineup, which attracts people from out of town, concert tourism […] Carnival ends and we’re already thinking about Holy Week, which also brings a big boost. During Easter week, there’s also Motorcycle Week… several events are coming up back-to-back that I think will bring people to Mazatlán, and that’s why 2026 is going to be better than 2025,” Osuna Valdez concluded.
Finally, Osuna Valdez explained that to take advantage of these opportunities, it’s essential to provide excellent service to tourists. He asked the authorities to keep the city well-maintained for visitors.
Source: Revista Espejo
