A man walks along Revolution Avenue in downtown Tijuana, Mexico, Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)
SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Tourism officials in Tijuana reported a “significant decline” in visitor numbers to the city compared to last year.
Karim Charita Rodriguez, chairman of the city’s Convention and Tourism Commission, told reporters on Thursday that medical tourism has fallen by 50% since the start of the year and restaurants have seen a 45% drop in American visitors, causing profits to fall by 30%.
“Americans can’t afford to buy as much these days,” Rodriguez said, referring to the dollar’s weakening against the Mexican peso. “People don’t want to stand in line for three hours to cross the border. It’s the same with travel.”
Rodriguez also blames recent news reports of violence targeting foreigners, including the murder of two Australian surfers and their friend from San Diego, for leaving many Americans with safety concerns.
Most of the cosmetic surgery in Tijuana is done on American women.
“We’ve had a lot of bad weather earlier this year which hasn’t been to our advantage, but now the rain has stopped and the sun is coming out so we’re hoping to see more people turn out.”
Rodriguez also hopes the U.S. doesn’t experience the kind of economic downturn that some predict would hurt businesses south of the border.
For the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border, visit the BorderReport.com homepage.
“We need to continue to provide quality products, services, food and attractions for our visitors,” he said. “This is the best promotion we can do and will help increase visitor numbers to the region.”
