MEXICO CITY, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Travelers are returning to Mexico City a little over a month since a powerful earthquake toppled buildings and claimed 228 lives, a local official said on Tuesday.
Hotel occupancy has recovered some five weeks after the Sept. 19 quake, reaching 86.4 percent of occupancy, higher than the rate registered for the same month in 2016, Mexico City Tourism Secretary Armando Lopez said at a press conference held at City Hall.
"There is a clear recovery," said Lopez.
The epicenter of the 7.1-magnitude quake was located very close to the capital. Some 5,700 homes were left with varying degrees of damage, and some buildings are slated for demolition.
Tourism fell immediately following the quake, but began to climb back to normal levels as soon as Sept. 24, according to Lopez.
Mexico's high tourism season gets into full swing at the start of November, when Mexicans celebrate the Day of the Dead and pay tribute to deceased family and friends.
This year, the city is also hosting the Formula 1 Grand Prix on the last weekend of October, which is expected to draw a million visitors.
A total of 369 people died in the quake, including victims in the surrounding and nearby states.
