Loreto, Baja California Sur.- Prestadores de servicios turísticos están pidiendo al Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM) que se haga algo para
detener la competencia desleal de extranjeros y no sigan desplazando a los lancheros y hoteleros locales con la renta de sus botes y casas de forma
irregular.
En entrevistado en la dársena del malecón, los prestadores de servicios señalaron que la peor crisis que pueden enfrentar es la apatía de las
autoridades para ponerle un freno a la evasión de impuestos de muchos extranjeros que vienen a hacer negocio en México.
Mientras nuestros hoteles están vacíos y nuestras pangas no salen por falta de turismo, los gringos y canadienses vienen ya organizados y traen
clientes argumentando que son sus amigos o familiares, cuando todos sabemos que hay un negocio de por medio, denunciaron.
Es increíble que las autoridades no puedan hacer algo porque no tienen pruebas, cuando en internet se oferta una gran cantidad de servicios
turísticos.
Hay "gringos" que se dan el lujo de recoger a sus clientes en el aeropuerto, los hospedan en sus casas, les rentan lanchas, motos, carros y hasta
bicicletas, les ofrecen cocina y alacenas llenas de artículos estadounidenses, lo cual provoca que los loretanos cada vez tengan menos trabajo a pesar
de que sí arriban turistas.
A partir de octubre, cientos de extranjeros jubilados empiezan a llegar a Loreto y muchos no vienen sólo a descansar, vienen a trabajar, robándole las
oportunidades a los locales sin la mínima actuación de las autoridades, afirmaron.
Providers of tourist services are asking the National Immigration Institute (INM) to do something to stop the unfair competition by foreigners and to
stop them from displacing the boat and hotel operators with the illegal renting of their boats and homes.
In an interview at the waterfront malecón, the service providers said the worst crisis they have to face is the apathy of the authorities to stop the
tax evasion of many foreigners who come to do business in Mexico.
Meanwhile, our hotels are empty and our pangas do not sail for the lack of tourism. The Gringos and Canadians come here very well organized and bring
clients, while saying they are just friends or family, when we well know they are doing business.
It is incredible that the authorities cannot do anything because the have no proof, when on the internet they are offering a large number of tourist
services.
There are "Gringos" who even pick up their clients at the airport, they house them in their homes, they rent them boats, motorcycles, cars and even
bicycles. They offer them kitchens full of American food items, which means the people of Loreto have less work each time even though tourists are
arriving.
Starting in October, hundreds of retired tourists start to arrive in Loreto and many arrive not just to rest, they come to work, stealing the
opportunities from the locals without the slightest action by the authorities.
I understand their concern also, but what goes around comes around, it seems to me.
Free Market competition in action--------the "open borders" crowd should love this.
Now, if we had enforced border regulations for those moving both ways (N & S) then it might be brought more under control. Borders do matter
since radically diferent economies DO EXIST. Europe is now learning this very hard lesson.
I know it happens. especially in rental properties. don't have any personal experience with the boating/fishing part.
I also know a number of friends who have gone to the time and effort to be legal and pay their taxes.
whether getting everyone legal is the point, or the issue is deeper...wanting no competition legal or illegal...I don't know.
but the concern is valid.
This is not new, but seems to be gathering more and more press and support.
IMHO, there are lots of areas for legitimate complaints and concerns, and if someone does not have a legal business, well even a simple task like
cleaning fish for a fee takes work away from a local.
In a Loreto RV park a few years ago, we had some Canadian tourists offer to sell us some fish; we refused and bought from a local.
Offering full tourist services from the US or Canada without proper business licenses is, IMHO a legitimate complaint.
Yet there are several grey areas that leave lots of questions.
1. Some people, including us, offer our guest room to friends for no compensation. Perhaps that is taking away from local businesses, but we built
the guest room for our friends and family. Usually the friend or family member will offer to take us out to eat, or cook a dinner, or provide some
nice drinks. But that is what friends do.
2. Some Mexicans offer their homes to people for no compensation, or perhaps just a donation. They are not licensed.
3. Ex=-pats with boats often take out their friends fishing and usually the friends will help pay for the gas etc. just as a friendly gesture.
4. Locals sometimes take gringo friends out fishing on a friendship basis.
5. When is it a friend and how can that be determined. Example, a gringo meets some other gringos one night in a restaurant---they hit it off, and
gringo number one invites the other gringos to go fishing. They don't ask for any compensation, but out of politeness, the other gringos pay for the
gas.
6. Mexican and gringo friends often bring us fresh fish as we don't fish. While not expected, we almost always give back a gift of something that is
difficult to obtain in BA like real butter, or good bacon, etc.
Hummmm, nice to see that the locals differ Americans from Canadians. They called Americans gringos and Canadians Canadians,
I do fully support the locals in anyway we can. But if the government allows gringos and Canadians to set up shop, as long as they have all the paper
work in line and pay the taxes. I have no problem with that. If they don't and do this underground, I fully support the local authorities to
prosecute! If it's illegal, it's illegal !!!As for picking up friends and family at the airport, well I believe that should not be a problem. I am not
going to sit at my Casa with my SUV in my driveway waiting for the local Taxi company to deliver my guests. We do help the locals in many ways just by
inviting friends and family to Loreto. Don't they see that. It's called generating local tourism.
Originally posted by Puckdrop
I fully support the local authorities to prosecute! If it's illegal,
Truth is, if the authorities down there are anything like those up here, nothing will be done about it. They'll threaten and bluster, but won't do
squat. They don't like to make moves that bring to mind the illegal work activity going on by Mexicans in the states.
Nothing new.
I have always told the locals here in Bocana that we provide the lodging, and we purposely have the local businesses provide fishing and meals (lunch
and dinner) ....
but I gotta say, it is very hard and we may in fact start providing all meals..why ???
1. half the time the restaurants are not open even when it is time for them to be open
2. takes an awful long time to be served
3. local businesses can't or don't want to offer "facturas" (invoices) - which means they are not paying taxes ...
Very sad that the Lorentans think most foreigners are not legal .... bad PR no matter how you look at it.
Originally posted by DENNIS
...They don't like to make moves that bring to mind the illegal work activity going on by Mexicans in the states.Nothing new.
Mexicans working in the USA (legal or not) do a lot of jobs the US citizens don't want to do....US citizens in Mexico rarely work at such jobs (farm
/ domestic labour, etc)....instead, they are supplementing their "second home" or retirement lifestyle most of the time....
Originally posted by BajaBlanca
....we may in fact start providing all meals..why ???
1. half the time the restaurants are not open even when it is time for them to be open
2. takes an awful long time to be served
3. local businesses can't or don't want to offer "facturas" (invoices) - which means they are not paying taxes ...
B&B,
#1&2 ...."Welcome to Mexico, relax, you are on a vacation" is what you can tell your guests....it ain't Denny's !
#3 ...Why does someone need a receipt for a meal in La Bocana? Trying to write pleasure off as business????
Maybe a Walmart in town would make your guests feel more at home.
Originally posted by rhintransit
I know it happens. especially in rental properties. don't have any personal experience with the boating/fishing part.
I also know a number of friends who have gone to the time and effort to be legal and pay their taxes.
whether getting everyone legal is the point, or the issue is deeper...wanting no competition legal or illegal...I don't know.
but the concern is valid.
I know people That jumped through all the hoops and Still were Treated unfairly. The system is set up to insure failure of the foriegn owner
Originally posted by rhintransit
I know it happens. especially in rental properties. don't have any personal experience with the boating/fishing part.
I also know a number of friends who have gone to the time and effort to be legal and pay their taxes.
whether getting everyone legal is the point, or the issue is deeper...wanting no competition legal or illegal...I don't know.
but the concern is valid.
I know people That jumped through all the hoops and Still were Treated unfairly. The system is set up to insure failure of the foriegn owner
Really? all but one Mexican bank is foreign owned, construction firms, hotel chains, cel phone companies, all foreign, i say Mexico has been extremely
good to foreign companies.
There is a lot of misunderstood interactions taking place and part of this issue is what probably led to the fees being charged at the launch ramp in
Loreto. It is very easy to assume, especially if you do not really understand the cultural differences and language that everyone besides the owners
who go out on a boat would be potential customers, but that is far from being the case. When you make your living by fishing with clients, it is too
easy to see everyone as a potential customer when a high percentage of those people would not likely be customers at all. I fish most of the time
with a local fisherman who is a very talented and able person on the water. Because there is not enough of a client base in the Santa Rosalia area to
support a commercial guide, he continues to make his living from his talents as a fisherman. We have looked long and hard at the commercial guide
issue for him but the truth is that only a limited number of people avail themselves of that when it is available.
So, it is very easy, when times are really tough for the guides and locals to assume that their business is being stolen from them, when in fact
probably only a small amount of that actually goes on. I do know of a person who retired way too early and he always seems to be the one who ends up
going out as a guide on tourist boats or takes them on his boat to cover the gas expense and the locals are savvy enough to see that when it happens,
but it is just one of those grey areas that never really get settled or changed. The local guy is not going to work for beer and some friendship and
the "snowbird" is not going to charge the same thing as the local guide.
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
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