What will it take?

[tndr_cpl]

Between my wife and I (she started before me) we have been going to RP for more than 20 years. Her extended family owns a small house in Cholla Bay They even remember spending time with Gus Brown when the gov't was trying to force him out. (We never stay there, we prefer real A/C). Anyway, It is really sad to see what is happening in RP both in terms of the locals and the visitors. For us a big part of going down is meeting people, socializing etc.

For those of you who go regularly, what do you think it will take to bring visitors back. I'm really not looking for a political debate, just more for opinions on what will have to happen before we can party like we use ta

 

[Stuart]

Simple Answer, Really

It will take:

A) Mexico getting a handle on the drug cartels. Tourists do not feel safe when they continually hear about lots of people being shot, beheadings, and military checkpoints shooting innocent people as reported in the media. Doesn't matter one iota that 99% of this occurs nowhere near Penasco. The media reports it as Mexico and the general public perception is "anywhere south of the border." Sad fact, but true, and no amount of cheerleading is going to offset that.

B) Mexico getting a handle on police corruption. They've made some strides, but the general feeling is (even among many Mexicans) that you're more likely to be ripped off by the police than you are an actual bandido.

C) Mexico getting a handle on illegal immigration. The general public is upset that nothing is being done about the "800 lb. gorilla in the room." No, these aren't racists. These are people that are tired of having their tax dollars support people who have come to this country illegally. And, even though they come from all over, Mexico is still the prime offender and does nothing to curtail the problem; they actually encourage it. Worse yet, America has reached a tolerance level with those coming here illegally that are demanding rights and that they be accommodated as Mexicans, instead of the Mexicans assimilating and becoming Americans, as have so many different cultures of immigrants in the past.

Those are your 3 biggies at the moment. I'm not saying those are my beliefs, but they are certainly the beliefs of many people right now. Mexico could be minting gold pesos and handing them out at the border, but most people I talk to still wouldn't cross the border for one of them.

Personally, I was there this past weekend and enjoyed myself as much as I always do. That's the problem with asking your question on this forum. We're believers, we go, and we enjoy -- you're not likely to get much of the above perspectives I mentioned.

 

[mexicoruss]

In the past 3 years my wife and I have spent (drum roll please) over $50,000 of our own dollars promoting the city of Penasco the State of Sonora and the Country of Mexico. We spent the money on trade shows that we personally attended and web offerings and day to day promotion. We still do and will continue to promote our little town by the bay but the question "what will it take" is broader and deeper than we think. The economy has to improve in the states, the Mexican government ( As Stu mentioned) has to tromp the drug network, and an overall sense of peace has to be felt among everyone that visits. When we visited 20 years ago there was no such thing as the internet. When someone farted we didn't get an email about it or a facebook message. I am sure that stuff was going on 20 years ago that would scare people if they found out about it, but (also as Stu said) it doesn't happen here and it doesn't involve tourism. Things have changed. The economy is a huge drain on us right now and with that the feeling that the media is bent on keeping dollars at home instead of abroad. We are in the travel industry as a company we see a lot of what is keeping folks from spending money outside of the good ole US of A.

Its going to take time, its going to take money, its going to take smart direction at the top, and its going to take people living their lives separate from Fox News and CNN. Sitting in front of the TV only gives you a one sided view of life and more likely than not a fear inspired view as that is what sells.

I live here every day, my wife goes to the store we go the church we live a very nice life and not one tucked away in the compound of the condo projects (theres nothing wrong with condos, I am just sayin), a real life in the town. In the barrio. It is a great place to work live and invest but that is my reality, the perception though for many is different and that will take much time to bend back to the truth. 2 cents more invested!

 

[jerry]

legalize weed etc. make RP the "Amsterdam of the Americas"
build more small boutique hotels that don't look like crap,
finish the Sasabe highway(well that's for me)
fix the lukeville border crossing,
lower the price of beer by 50%
finish the coastal highway......... Harley runs,corvette runs,pt stinkin cruiser runs you name it the length of Sonora and back
allow Americans to pack heat (hey paranoid people need some beach time too)
get a "marry a mexican' thing going..wedding chapels and all for all the geezers that now go to Thailand or Russia
Let anyone that buys a house own it fee simple and give mexican citizenship to people that buy one
kill anyone that even talks about building more 10 story faulty towers

 

[Kelney]

For me:
Get rid of the Pima County Barney Fife's and their stupid speed traps around Ajo.
Fix the border crossing - Both sides since it took me longer getting into Mexico than out.
Last but not least, can someone do something about the wind down there?

Personally I do not mind the bad press, it weeds out the rookies and drives up the rent!

 

[ernesto]

What it will take is a great economy in the US like before so that everyone experiences euphoria ,takes out second mortgages and buys property down there .

 

[janetandclint]

My main answer is for the Mexican government, police systems and military to be able to assure that Mexicans and Americans alike are safe. I am watching a village die touristically, actually is just about dead. We can live with lots of other problems, but the lack of safety is primary.

 

[Roberto]

My main answer is for the Mexican government, police systems and military to be able to assure that Mexicans and Americans alike are safe. I am watching a village die touristically, actually is just about dead. We can live with lots of other problems, but the lack of safety is primary.

I am wondering what you are watching die and how you are watching it? Actually tourism is doing OK in Penasco but the tourists are different. More Mexicans, far less US folk. Businesses catering to Mexican tastes will do OK, those stuck on the old ways will wither.

I don't think it's the lack of safety. I think it's the lack of perception of saftey and that issue is tied up with adjoining communities and their problems. It grows old hearing people who have second and third hand 'information' and rumor complaining about the lack of safety here. I have not been shot at for ...Oh several days now !!

The construction jobs that have gone away had a far greater impact on Penasco than tourism for the local people and local bussinesses. The shops and restaurants in the Malecon contribute only a handful of jobs compared to the construction industry. You can bemoan the death of Penasco because of the condos but for the locals they have been a serious source of well paying jobs in construction and now in maintenance. The monster Mayan Palace alone has about 500 employees.

The entire state of Sonora went through a much worse period just about 100 years ago with the death of the mining industry. That collapse came about for similar reasons to the problems here currently. The US investors who provided capital and motivation to the industry went away for economic reasons. Both industries had far greater benefits to the investors that the locals, but when you have NO pesos, 10 pesos is a lot.

As for the immigration issue, that's another distortion of reality. The US govt and citizens contributed heavily to the creation of the issues today by turning a blind eye when cheap labor was needed and people thought they benefited from that cheap labor. Now that things are tough economically politicos and US folk want a whipping boy to take out their frustrations on and guess who was nominated? Humans have a tendancy to look for a victim when times get tough.

Pensco will survive, but not it the form promoted in the past. Hard to believe that anyone ever bought the idea of a New Cancun or Cabo.:mexico::mexico::mexico:

 

[Roberto]

what will have to happen before we can party like we use ta

Don't know how I missed this. Simple answer. Get in your vehicle and drive down here. Bring some money to spend. Party like you used to !! What's holding YOU back. Some other person's attitude?

 

[mexicoruss]

Yeah really its only 4 hours from Phx or Tuc and a pretty drive too! Bring some cash and hit the beach. The only one holding you back is you! I am walking the beach tomorrow morning with my lovely bride of 28 years and yeah its like 7 minutes to the beach from our house but its makes for a great start for a great day! AJUA! life is good!

 

[MIRAMAR]

When we were down last weekend, the Malecon was packed. Yes, there were more Mexican tourists than American, but the atmosphere in Old Port and the Governors' Plaza was great. My husband and I had a wonderful time- not often you get to see a play about a pregnant Mexican bride, drinking tequila with her reluctant groom who is trying to kiss the bridesmaids. We couldn't understand a lot of the play, but we were laughing with the rest of the crowd. Next week, it's the Bicentennial, and we'll be back again. Viva Penasco, Viva Mexico!!

 

[moore_rb]

I
I don't think it's the lack of safety. I think it's the lack of perception of saftey and that issue is tied up with adjoining communities and their problems.

That is a great point.... completely agree.

 

[janetandclint]

My main answer is for the Mexican government, police systems and military to be able to assure that Mexicans and Americans alike are safe. I am watching a village die touristically, actually is just about dead. We can live with lots of other problems, but the lack of safety is primary.

Roberto, Do have to apologize for my miscommunication. I follow the threads and the question I was addressing, whether I was correct in interpreting the conversation or not, is What Does It TaKe? for tourists to go to Mexico. I was not referring to Puerto Penasco. I have no idea from my own experience if it is suffering a decline in tourism or not. I was referring to areas in Mexico that I do go to, which I do not feel like naming, and yes, there are areas that are almost dead touristically because of the threat of violence that is real. We are coming to Puerto Penasco this fall because we feel that is is a safe area.

 

[jerry]

In AP this farmer owned coop roasts coffee. http://justcoffee.org/ I wonder if there are farmer co-ops in RP where the local produce can be purchased?(maybe order on line and get it delivered to the old Pigeon Coop even)The eat local movement usually considers 300 miles local which should make our corner of the world a natural fit for tucson grocers and restaurants.

 

[Roberto]

I've seen the big operations along the highway to Caborca but ya know I've never seen what used to be called a truck farm, growing a variety of stuff. That might work for a small operation if a family could get the land and water.

 

[mexicoruss]

The farms outside of Caborca are huge. I spend a lot of time in and around Caborca the produce coming out of there is incredible - the stuff you see from the road is NOTHING like you see whe you get back into the Ejidos. Phenomenal is an apt adjective. This summer had the chance to talk to many people here who are working the fields at the time it was asparagus and 4 different type of grapes. I dont know if fam farms work here as you need a massive amount of land and money to get it started. Everything we saw was all due to be exported to the US that takes a bit of work as well

 

[jerry]

Russ when things were booming a friend was looking at buying a ranch for water rights and do some Truck farming...the problem was the dept of the wells,the last of confidence in the marketing end of it and the fact that real estate made so much money so why do real work.....maybe now it might work...Saturday Market at Y Griega is pretty good but you would think one in RP might really work if the boosters put up the money to get it going.

The farms outside of Caborca are huge. I spend a lot of time in and around Caborca the produce coming out of there is incredible - the stuff you see from the road is NOTHING like you see whe you get back into the Ejidos. Phenomenal is an apt adjective. This summer had the chance to talk to many people here who are working the fields at the time it was asparagus and 4 different type of grapes. I dont know if fam farms work here as you need a massive amount of land and money to get it started. Everything we saw was all due to be exported to the US that takes a bit of work as well

 

[InkaRoads]

I think that if all those that used to go to RP before and stop due to third party tales of horror, start going again and realize that there is no drug cartel wars going on in RP, there is crime like anywhere else and as long as you stay away from those areas that are bad then you will be fine, just like in your home town!! I have drive town and back during the day or night and have not come across any fake checkpoints, or black jeeps or anything bad and I am in the road a lot going back and forth!! but I always enjoy RP even if it is for an hour and try to get on the water everytime I am down there!!

 

[audsley]

How about this.

When not many can remember the time a bunch of galoots with AK47s shot up a guy at the marina and then cruised out of town like they owned the place, because they did.

When good people tell stories about the days when violent gangs had nothing to fear but each other, and it sounds like it must have been exciting.

When journalists are no longer murdered on a regular basis, judges and police are neither eager to take bribes nor too afraid to refuse them, bad guys go to prison and actually have to stay there, and the Mexican people triumph over corruption, terrorism and lawlessness.

After all that happens, Americans will be back again in big numbers. Until then, Rocky Point will just have to make it as a tourist destination for Mexican nationals and a greatly reduced number of Americans, most of them without kids.

My wife and I would still love to go, but it's harder to get others to go with us. We always enjoyed the company of one or two other couples, and it helped cut the cost of the trip. I tried finding a suitable place for just the two of us but couldn't. We have Las Conchas tastes on a $150 a night budget. Some friends who had been our regular Las Conchas partners now say they want to wait a few months and see what happens. Not that they think it's likely they'd catch a stray bullet or get kidnapped off the Malecon, but they just wouldn't be relaxed around town like they used to be, and relaxation is a huge part of what Rocky Point is all about.

What some are missing is that travel, tourism and vacations are at least as much about dreams and illusions as about reality. Rocky Point once had an image money couldn't buy - Mayberry on a Mexican beach. Kids collecting sea shells, regular folks having a good time and honest, amiable locals. In reality, there was a bit more to it than that, but it wasn't so much the reality that mattered, it was the image. It doesn't take too many sensational events to shatter an old image and replace it with a new one.

 

[lagrimas85]

In 2003 I built a pond approximatly 50 x 80 feet 9 feet deep on one end 2 feet deep on the other and as a hobby I started raising tilapia. I started with 780 fish that I thought were all males from Americulture in New Mexico. Well there were a few females in the bunch and when I sold the house and land in 2005 we calculated there were 20,000 fish in that pond and the creek I built to filter the solids out of the pond water before it went through the biological filters and then back to the pond. To make a long story short Ramon Martinez when he was Mayor of Rocky point came to see this pond and see if I would help put one in Rocky Point not only to raise fish but to set up a pay to fish lottery where the fish would have numbers somehow fixed to they'er bodies and when caught by a paying customer the number on the fish would determine the prize (money) the customer then also had a fish to take home. I also raise vegetables and spices with hydroponics and that can easily be combined with fish to make an aquaponic system that is almost self substaining. The nutrients from the fish water is run through gravel beds with the plants growing in the gravel and the plants and biological filter clean the water to be returned to the fish tank. The vegetables would be classified as organic. I am almost sure somebody could get a government grant for this kind of business in Rocky Point. The U of A has a aquaponic system by the airport in Tucson that can be visited.