The FIC has not yet managed to recover pre-pandemic attendance figures

Guanajuato, Gto., The International Cervantino Festival (FIC) has not managed to recover pre-pandemic attendance figures, when almost 400 thousand attendees were reported. This year, nearly 184 thousand people witnessed the artistic activities.

In an atmosphere of uncertainty, with officials who limited themselves to offering preliminary figures without giving the opportunity to answer questions, the Cervantino concluded yesterday after 17 days of activities, from October 11 to 27.

Adriana Jasso Medina, representative of the Guanajuato Tourism Secretariat, indicated that the preliminary economic impact of this edition was 250 million pesos, driven by the arrival of 56 thousand tourists, which generated a hotel occupancy of 41 percent.

Compared to the previous year, there was a slight decrease in the hotel sector, with 1.75 percent less occupancy, since in 2023 57 thousand tourists stayed with an average accommodation of 42 percent.

Mariana Aymerich, director of the FIC, left her continuity at the head of the cultural meeting in suspense, although she noted that she is still considered a part of the team. In his speech he highlighted: For 17 days we lived a cultural experience that allowed us to reconnect with a more natural, more organic time. Breaking the routine has countless benefits for our mental health..

Aymerich stressed that the figures are still preliminary, since there are still some activities to be carried out within the Cervantino circuit, but he announced that the festival had 132 performances in which 3,254 national and foreign artists, from 24 countries, participated, which called for more than 180 thousand people.

Regarding ticket sales, of a total of 62,202 tickets available, 42,505 were sold, which represents an occupancy of 68.33 percent, generating 11,410,290 pesos. At the box office, we sold a million pesos more than last yearhe highlighted. Ticket prices ranged between 80 and 900 pesos, depending on the forum and the artist.

In addition, the festival offered 58 academic activities, such as talks, workshops, film screenings, conferences and master classes, which attracted 5,500 people.

But Cervantino was not only experienced in Guanajuato. Through television and radio media, both national and foreign, more than 700 thousand people followed the shows from their homes. In total, 73 functions were broadcast on television and 61 on radio, with the collaboration of institutions such as IMER, Radio Universidad and local media, including Television de Oaxaca, in addition to the FIC’s social networks.

However, the FIC has not yet managed to recover the audience levels it used to attract before the covid pandemic. Recent years pale in comparison to the years before the health emergency.

In 2018, for example, the meeting managed to attract 450 thousand people, establishing a participation benchmark that seemed difficult to surpass; In 2019, the figure had decreased to 367,249 attendees, reflecting a slight slowdown in attendance.

With the arrival of the pandemic in 2020, the Cervantino was forced to carry out a completely virtual edition. On that occasion, more than 4.29 million people followed the activities through digital platforms, which represented a record in terms of global reach, although in an exceptional format.

In 2021, the numbers were notably low, with only 48 thousand attendees, a clear indication of the public’s caution regarding the health situation. However, in 2022 the meeting managed to partially recover, with an attendance of 285,655 people, showing signs of recovery.

The organizers hope that in future editions the public will return in greater numbers, as they used to do before the health crisis.

Despite the success of the call, the closing of the festival was marked by concerns about the security situation in Guanajuato, an entity that has experienced moments of tension due to the recent wave of violence, including car bomb explosions.

However, officials avoided delving into this issue. Aymerich was blunt when pointing out: We do not agree with the statement that violence has affected attendance. So much so, that box office sales have increased and the economic impact is significant..

In her analysis, the official added that the meeting has broken the stigma of being only for those looking for a party. We have taken away that idea a lot. Fortunately, there is a more familiar atmosphere on the streets. There are many activities for everyone in public squareshe commented. For his part, Jasso Medina pointed out that the figures are still preliminary, and highlighted the growth of informal and short-term tourism, as many visitors choose to stay via alternative platforms or stay with friends.

With the curtain lowered and the lights off, the FIC is already beginning to prepare its 53rd edition, which will be held from October 10 to 26, 2025. Although the invited countries and states have not yet been announced, expectations for next year are already They are underway.