Puebla, Puebla. The Business Coordinating Council (CCE) still does not know if some partners will continue with the plan to rescue the Puebla-Cholula Tourist Trainafter the state government stopped its operations last January, as it was not profitable.
Ignacio Alarcón Rodríguez Pacheco, president of the organization, explained that the intention to continue seeking the concession is subject to profitability analysis, which has not yet been concluded and has not been given speed.
However, he acknowledged that they have not yet given the go-ahead to the proposal they presented to the decentralized public body Puebla Quota Roadsto let them operate that attraction.
He anticipated that interested investors would like the train to continue operating under a hybrid model, that is, it will be used to transport passengers from the area of Cholula to Angelopolis, and not only for tourist purposes.
With the foregoing, he said, greater profitability could be guaranteed for entrepreneurs and that Puebla continues to have this attraction in circulation, which has untapped potential.
At the time, the project had a cost of just over 1,364 million pesos, which has a capacity of 283 passengers, whose rates were 60 pesos for foreign tourists; 30 for walkers from the state and 13.50 pesos for those who would like to use it as transportation, traveling from Cholula to Puebla in an extension of 17.2 kilometers.
In this regard, Alarcón Rodríguez pointed out that under these operating conditions they would like it to continue operating, because otherwise they cannot risk investing in a project that will not leave them positive profits and could not generate jobs either.
He commented that he had a meeting with the governor, Miguel Barbosa Huertawhere the subject was addressed, since it is a project that “will not happen overnight, since it takes time, which should not be long, because it will generate disinterest from investors.”
He indicated that if they decline their intention, they will have to make it known to public opinion, just as they did when they stated that they wanted the tourist train concession.
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