Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, August 20, 2026 – Puerto Vallarta business owners will get a data-led look at the city’s tourism economy on August 27, when an international economic policy specialist and a local vacation-rental executive examine demand heading into the final months of 2026.
The public session begins at 4 p.m. at La Catrina Cantina, located on the second floor at Lázaro Cárdenas 315B in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood. The discussion will bring together Thomas A. Bernes, a former senior official at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, and Jamie Alexander, director of business development at PVRPV.
The two speakers offer different views of the same local question. Bernes will examine wider economic and tourism trends, while Alexander will use short-term rental activity to discuss what current booking patterns indicate about demand during the coming months.
La Catrina Cantina owner Juan Alvarado González organized the discussion after watching businesses close and hearing growing unease among local operators.
That concern has become increasingly visible in Centro and the Romantic Zone. A recent Coparmex Puerto Vallarta count identified at least 35 permanent business closures since late May. Restaurants have faced similar pressure, with industry representatives reporting sales running 20% to 25% below normal during the summer low season.
Passenger figures provide another measure of the slowdown. Puerto Vallarta International Airport handled 484,200 passengers in July, down 12.1% from the same month last year, according to Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico’s July traffic report.
Domestic traffic edged up 0.6% to 323,300 passengers during the month, but international volume dropped 29.8% to 160,900. Across the first seven months of 2026, total passenger traffic declined 12.6%, including a 19.3% reduction in international passengers.
Hotel figures have also weakened. The DataTur hotel monitoring report placed Puerto Vallarta’s average occupancy at 68.4% from January through May, compared with 78% during the same period in 2025. Local estimates later placed July occupancy near 68%.
Those indicators measure different parts of the tourism economy. Airport totals include local passengers and travelers heading elsewhere around Banderas Bay. Hotel monitoring covers participating lodging properties, while short-term rentals operate outside that inventory. Strong domestic traffic can also produce different spending patterns than the international market.
Alexander’s presentation will add booking information from PVRPV’s vacation-rental portfolio. The company’s current rental activity could give businesses another gauge of expected arrivals alongside airport and hotel statistics.
Bernes is a distinguished fellow at the Centre of International Governance Innovation. His career includes leadership positions at the IMF, World Bank and Canadian government, along with work involving international trade and economic policy.
Attendance is open to business owners, tourism workers, property owners and other members of the public. Reservations are available through La Catrina Cantina by WhatsApp or by calling 322 291 8777.
