Mexico City: Filming of 007 film 'Spectre' boosted business in capital's historic center

Mexico City authorities say recent filming of the upcoming James Bond movie "Spectre" was a business boon for the capital's historic core.

A statement from the city government says hotel occupancy in the district rose 30 percent during the filming and the number of visitors was up 53 percent.

It also said Thursday that producers agreed beforehand to pay 225 businesses that could be affected up to $2,500 a day in compensation for closures, and most had to shut down for just a few hours.

Some businesses in the historic center complained recently that street closures kept many customers away during the March 19-April 1 film shoot.

The head of the city's small business chamber said proprietors reported a 60 percent drop in sales during the first week of filming.