Why Locals Are Gatekeeping Their Favorite Places From Tourists

In 2018, when Luz Celaya, then a model, moved from her hometown, Caborca, Mexico, to Mexico City, she found “paradise.” Every week, she got what she swears are the city’s best tacos and fresh juice, then hit her local paca, or secondhand clothing market, with friends.“You had piles of clothes and people screaming the prices,” she said.“You’d spend the whole day there.

The food was amazing, the energy was amazing, the clothes were amazing.”When friends, family and friends of friends came to town, Ms.Celaya, 27, happily told them about the paca and her other favorite spots.

Over the years, as tourism to Mexico City climbed — the city drew roughly 14.4 million hotel guests in 2023, and is aiming for 19.5 million visitors by 2030 — Ms.Celaya’s beloved paca became a tourist magnet.

Prices went up, and some sellers started listing their items in dollars, a sign of the prevalence of American shoppers.Soon, Ms.Celaya and her friends found a new paca.

The tacos, juices and prices (still in pesos) are better at this one, she said.But these days, she refuses to tell visitors where it is.“This is something I want to gatekeep, because I’ve already experienced what can happen after you suggest these local places to someone who isn’t from here,” she said.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

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