BajaNomad - It’s safe to come back to Baja, officials say (again)

It’s safe to come back to Baja, officials say (again)

BajaNews - 2-24-2011 at 11:36 AM

http://www.sandiegored.com/noticias/6510/It-s-safe-to-come-b...

By Leonel Sanchez
23 Febrero 2011

TIJUANA -- In an effort to promote Baja California as a safe place for tourists, officials plan to distribute brochures with contact information for local mayors and police chiefs to people planning to visit the Mexican state.

Baja California plans to circulate the green passport-looking brochures as early as this week in California, Nevada and Arizona, which officials are targeting with their campaign to boost tourism, which is down.

U.S. –based Mexican consulates and travel agencies and Baja California tourism offices and hotels will be distributing the brochures, which are in English and Spanish, said Alfonso Bustamante, Tijuana’s binational affairs director during a news conference on Friday.

“This makes you a very distinguished guest of the state of Baja California,” Bustamante said, holding a copy of the brochure, during the press event at Tijuana’s City Hall.

“They will instruct all police in the whole state that if anything happens to any of you and you (present) this they will know that you are a distinguished guest and they will take care of you correctly,” Bustamante said.

Tourism has declined dramatically in the five Baja California municipalities for a variety of reasons, including the increase in drug-related violence, the economic recession, a new U.S. passport requirement and the lengthy waits to cross the border.

Baja California officials stress that tourist destinations are secure and that the violence that has plagued the region is declining.

More than 1,000 people were killed last year in Baja California, most linked to drug violence, including more than 800 in Tijuana. Baja California authorities who participated in a binational forum in San Diego last week said the violence in their state, though still high, has become less brazen, often occurring in poorer neighborhoods away from tourist destinations.

Tijuana Mayor Carlos Bustamante said that the number of murders in Tijuana is declining. The mayor said more than 100 people were killed in January last year but that number was in the 50s, this year. “The key has been coordination with the army,” he said, referring to Mexican military participation in the war against Mexican cartels.

Alfonso Bustamante, who is the mayor’s brother, said the worst of the violence appears to be over in Baja California but that tourism is still hurting. Business at hotels and restaurants in Tijuana has dramatically dropped in the last few years.

Journalists from the three U.S. Southwest states where the brochures are going to be distributed attended the press event during a tour of Baja California cities sponsored by the city of Tijuana.

captkw - 2-24-2011 at 11:42 AM

the tequela will kill ya

Brian L - 2-24-2011 at 12:22 PM

Hmm, do you tape the brochure to your windshield? Do the Narcos then know not to shoot at you?

Will it get you through Ciudad Constitucion without police harassment?

get out of jail free card

mtgoat666 - 2-24-2011 at 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNews
“This makes you a very distinguished guest of the state of Baja California,” Bustamante said, holding a copy of the brochure, during the press event at Tijuana’s City Hall.

“They will instruct all police in the whole state that if anything happens to any of you and you (present) this they will know that you are a distinguished guest and they will take care of you correctly,” Bustamante said.

sounds like a creative marketing gimmick. would be fun to have one of these golden tickets to the chocolate factory. where can i get in san diego?

DENNIS - 2-24-2011 at 12:52 PM

Quote:

What could be more insulting than to tell us their little piece of paper will change anything. They talk to us as though we're children.

mtgoat666 - 2-24-2011 at 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

What could be more insulting than to tell us their little piece of paper will change anything. They talk to us as though we're children.

and if you don't have a golden ticket, dios mio!

DENNIS - 2-24-2011 at 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666
and if you don't have a golden ticket, dios mio!

You get to pay double.

Gawwwdammmm....these Bustamantes have lived a sheltered life. I wonder if the mayor still lives in the real La Jolla up in California?

.

[Edited on 2-24-2011 by DENNIS]

What am I...Chopped Liver?

Dave - 2-24-2011 at 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNews

“They will instruct all police in the whole state that if anything happens to any of you and you (present) this they will know that you are a distinguished guest and they will take care of you correctly,” Bustamante said.

If I were a Baja native I'd consider this extremely insulting.

DENNIS - 2-24-2011 at 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave
If I were a Baja native I'd consider this extremely insulting.

I doubt they could get past the humor of it all to be offended.

JoeJustJoe - 2-24-2011 at 02:24 PM

I think it's kind of cheesy to tell the American tourists that they are distinguished guests and will be taken care of correctly. Yeah right I could see a few corrupt TJ cops, muggers, and business thieves saying, yeah sure come on down and we will take care of you all alright.

But you have to forgive the Baja/Mexican tourist industry because they have their own perceptions of Americans and they see first hand how some Americans act when they are in Mexico. Some Americans act like they own the place, and believe the local Mexicans have to jump up at the snap of their fingers to serve them because they are Americans from the so-called greatest country on Earth.

So you can't really fault Mexico for playing up to that " I'm special, I'm from America"......perception so many American tourist have when visiting foreign countries.

I don't think it's a bad advertising campaign. The reason why I say that is because 90 percent of news Americans hear about Mexico is usually negative having something to do with the drug cartels, violence, and death.

If you're an American at home that doesn't travel to Mexico but only reads or watches Fox News. You are going to come away believing that Mexico is a war zone and much too dangerous to visit. The fact is that's not true, and Mexico is a fairly safe place for Americans to visit especially the resorts like Cancun and even local areas like San Felipe.

So I believe the advertising campaign provides a kinda balance to all the negative news and perception that Mexico gets.

mtgoat666 - 2-24-2011 at 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JoeJustJoe
So I believe the advertising campaign provides a kinda balance to all the negative news and perception that Mexico gets.

jojo:
how would you know? i thought you live in and post from louisiana?

Dave - 2-24-2011 at 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JoeJustJoe
I think it's kind of cheesy to tell the American tourists that they are distinguished guests and will be taken care of correctly...

Some Americans act like they own the place, and believe the local Mexicans have to jump up at the snap of their fingers to serve them because they are Americans from the so-called greatest country on Earth.

Wherever tourists come from they should be treated as royalty... If you plan on staying in business.

When I was in the tourist business that's how I treated my customers and if I were to visit anywhere as a tourist that's exactly how I would and should expect to be treated.

toneart - 2-24-2011 at 03:00 PM

Counting on the police to do anything is absurd. Ask any Mexican local. They are either cooperating with the cartels or they are killed. But that does not mean that they are targeting you. So far, we are not being targeted.

It is a drug turf war and if you have nothing to do with drugs, you really have nothing to worry about.

Back to the police issue, the state police in their black cars on the highway are pretty reliable. They are concerned with traffic safety on the road. It is the municipal police and the Judiciales that are of no use when you are a victim of a crime.

Almost all crimes go unsolved! To give a report is an exercise in futility, even further down in Baja Sur.

If you take normal precautions, as you would anywhere in the world, you are quite safe in Baja. Just be sure you lock up your possessions securely. Possessions are open game.

Bajahowodd - 2-24-2011 at 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by toneart
Counting on the police to do anything is absurd. Ask any Mexican local. They are either cooperating with the cartels or they are killed. But that does not mean that they are targeting you. So far, we are not being targeted.

It is a drug turf war and if you have nothing to do with drugs, you really have nothing to worry about.

Back to the police issue, the state police in their black cars on the highway are pretty reliable. They are concerned with traffic safety on the road. It is the municipal police and the Judiciales that are of no use when you are a victim of a crime.

Almost all crimes go unsolved! To give a report is an exercise in futility, even further down in Baja Sur.

If you take normal precautions, as you would anywhere in the world, you are quite safe in Baja. Just be sure you lock up your possessions securely. Possessions are open game.

Calderon wants to get rid of municipal police, does he not?

Marc - 2-24-2011 at 10:22 PM

I will shave, dig up a clean shirt, and flash that brochure. :biggrin:

burnrope - 2-24-2011 at 10:44 PM

Are they bullet proof? Can I get enough to make a vest and a helmet?

Woooosh - 2-24-2011 at 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ridge

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS...What could be more insulting than to tell us...

...that it's safe to come back...

hoping we won't remember they never warned us it wasn't.

welcome to the board. :tumble:

You think they will provide a .PDF of the magic card so we can print our own? The Mayors' office phone numbers? Really? Problem with the police? No, the only city police I see here are at school crosswalks- it's all about the Marines. Bet this card comes in more handy in Baja Sur. In Rosarito we've moved beyond misbehaving cops to full military operations with helicopters. Q: Will this put the pathfinders $50 gold sticker out of business?

BajaNomad - 2-25-2011 at 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
Bet this card comes in more handy in Baja Sur.

While maybe it could end up being more helpful in BCS somehow....

...it's put out by the department of tourism for the state of Baja California, and thusly will have none of the info for BCS.

Usually BC promotes primarily Tijuana, Rosarito, Ensenada, and now Valle de Guadalupe (maybe as part of promoting Ensenada though). Mexicali and San Felipe in the past have been their own entity through the tourism department, and I'd hazard a guess that this particular promotion/info may not even include Mexicali/SF.

Woooosh - 2-25-2011 at 10:38 AM

I hope they will include the military phone numbers. No point calling the impotent local police for something serious if the Marines are in charge, right?

[Edited on 2-25-2011 by Woooosh]

mcfez - 2-25-2011 at 11:20 AM

Los Angeles -- In an effort to promote East Los Angeles as a safe place for tourists, officials plan to distribute brochures with contact information for local mayors and police chiefs to people planning to visit the gang infested neighborhoods.

East Los Angeles plans to circulate the green passport-looking brochures as early as this week in California, Nevada and Arizona, which officials are targeting with their campaign to boost tourism, which is down.
______________________________________________________
Now...anyone with a brain....understands that East Los Angeles has had...and is having...gang turf wars for the last 10 - 15 years. Under no circumstances would I visit east L.A. because I got a green passport looking brochures ...saying "it's okay now...ya all come out and play".

Why would I visit Baja with their ridiculous insane brochure? That brochure is going to scare off more folks.

ELINVESTIG8R - 2-25-2011 at 12:17 PM

I just called the military base in Tijuana for the 2nd Region and spoke to an Army representative. I asked him if they would respond to a request for help (Auxilio) from a tourist if a police officer was without cause, threatening them with jail and/or attempting to extort money from them while on their way through Tijuana to get south. I was told that they will respond to that type of call if the person feels that their life or liberty is threatened by the officer and the person is afraid to call the local police for help. The 24 hour manned telephone number for the 2nd Region Military Police Desk Sergeant in Tijuana is: (On Mexico Phone) 664-685-0297.
This has not been tried by me so please have some other police numbers at your disposal to call if you need help from bad police officers while traveling through Tijuana

Woooosh - 2-25-2011 at 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ELINVESTIG8R
I just called the military base in Tijuana for the 2nd Region and spoke to an Army representative. I asked him if they would respond to a request for help (Auxilio) from a tourist if a police officer was without cause, threatening them with jail and/or attempting to extort money from them while on their way through Tijuana to get south. I was told that they will respond to that type of call if the person feels that their life or liberty is threatened by the officer and the person is afraid to call the local police for help. The 24 hour manned telephone number for the 2nd Region Military Police Desk Sergeant in Tijuana is: (On Mexico Phone) 664-685-0297.
This has not been tried by me so please have some other police numbers at your disposal to call if you need help from bad police officers while traveling through Tijuana

nice work! much thanks.