What the Hell R U Thinkin North America, Look IN YOUR Own Back Yard!
What the Hell R U Thinkin North America, Look IN YOUR Own Back Yard!
Written by: Stan Gabruk
Many people for some reason do not know that Marina Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta Exist. It is rated in the top ten private marinas in the world and nobody knows about it. There are 150 shops, 15 restaurants, El Faro Bar where the likes of Mel Gibson visit when in town, besides the view is incredible. When it comes to Hollywood types, PV is where they started and their homes are spectacular old money homes! All in Puerto Vallarta´s ¨other¨ Malicon or Board Walk. The Dollar is strong, hotels and airfare´s are way down. Occupancy is down as well everywhere. We´re still, Two years running now, AARP Put Puerto Vallarta down on paper as the best place on Earth to Retire! The G-20 World Economic Summit happened in Cabo. We had he World Economic Conference of Latin America here in PV. President Obama was here for that as well. We had Tiangue A primarily Latin America Tourist Convention that focuses on world markets, including travel from Latin America to North America (http://tianguisturisticomexico.com.mx/?en).
On top of that Mexico tourism is BOOMING, that´s right, I said booming… Tourism in Mexico was up to 22 million North American and European Visitors, the majority being American. Obama was down here in with his daughter for Spring Break and the president tried to squash the story (http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/maliamexico.asp). All of this and much, much more and all the American press sees and writes about is ¨How you´re gonna die if you go ANYWHERE in Mexico¨! An Example is how some stupid incident where a stupid man tried to rob some tourist bandito style made the press releases and there goes another reason to tell the world how dangerous Mexico is. They never forget to mention how thousands and thousands of drug related deaths occurred in ALL of Mexico. I even saw one article on CNN.com showing dead people face down in the streets as the headlines read something about how forty people were found dead near Cancun. Yep, about 150 miles east of Cancun that is. I guess that´s close enough to lob a press bomb designed to cause as much damage as it can to an unsuspecting public being told anything that will scare them into staying at home.
As you read the article there was some tiny words that said the photo was taken two years prior to this article in Juarez, a battle zone from the beginning of time. There is not enough room in this article for this vein…. But the American press is pushing fear and screaming once again that the Sky is falling and you better take cover for the impending death in your family as you will surely experience if you come to Mexico for a vacation you well deserve. The Swine or H1N1 Flu pandemic that was blamed on Mexico actually started in Los Angeles. Mexico had very minimal incidents with this disease, but the American press actually scared tourist so badly that tourism died in seconds and for no reason except to accommodate an agenda to keep people and Dollars out of Mexico! A lot of business went under because of these international lies.
They also like to quote how 120 American died in Mexico last year, but forgot to tell you what they died of! Heart attacks, strokes, car accidents, some crime of course, but an unspoken fact is the same as a lie. As these news channels scream at the top of their lungs Mexico is Dangerous tourism SHOT UP to 22 million visitors which is a record for tourism in Mexico. So what do you think that means?My seasonal regulars love the idea that people are staying away from the Marina and Mexico in General! They have the place to themselves and they laugh at those who are so easily manipulated by agendas. The Dollar is strong and with the difference in the exchange rate to what the actual cost is, it´s like a 20% automatic discount. If you are smart enough to come down with a fist full of pesos, paying cash makes everything cheaper without the 6% commission they charge for credit card use. Now the credit card companies charge six percent in Mexico. I also know Mexicans are more savy than Americans when it comes to how money works and they don´t take a discount because you ¨can´t¨ afford to pay cash. That´s right amigos, Mexicans don´t think credit is an investment tool like Americans. They see it as a very bad idea on several planes, but are happy to take your credit cards. You need to be careful, but they love ´em!
That all sounds pretty Bad, but when the press quotes numbers, how do you know if that number is a good number or a bad number. It´s a number put to you in a way where you are led to be shocked through voice inflection and visuals like two year old photos in completely different cities.
As the papers beat on Mexico about how Americans are victims just waiting for something bad to happen to them, the numbers don´t support their claims, yet they keep spewing this crap like they´re protecting the American Public. And even with the 22 million visitors, it makes me wonder how many people can´t afford American Vacations and don´t go anywhere and wind up staying home choosing local short trips instead.
Cities like Chicago are dangerous beyond belief (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/crime-law-justice/crimes/shootings/020010001165.topic), Washington D.C. is a war zone with Gang Killings, Americas Cartels (http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Gang-Related-News?st=DC), or how dangerous the city is in general. Here are some facts that show Washington D.C. as more dangerous than IRAQ, yet they say that about Mexico (http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/5/29/132706.shtml) and the lonely planet blog: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonely-planet/are-americans-safer-in-me_b_1503288.html . Now if you look at Houston Texas, the city stats show 22,595 violent deaths occurred with 117,494 property crimes and I dare you to read this page with Statistics that will raise your eye brows. But with 22 thousand violent deaths in Houston alone, Mexico looks like Disney Land to many, if not most of American cities. This site shows America’s figures as well with 778,901 violent deaths in America Alone ( http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/tx/houston/crime/ ). So what numbers do you want to talk about, I mean really you wanna start with the sky is falling statements. I can go shot for shot amigos.
So what is his point of this article? Well first of all if you hear it first hand from a Puerto Vallarta Local, you´ll believe it and give it a second thought when the American press lobs another bomb designed to ruin tourism.
Now nobody is going to say you won´t find crime anywhere, even in Disney Land there is crime. You can´t stop it, people get desperate, like in America and do stupid things. But these things are not involving Americans and tourist in any manner. Yet the ¨Sky¨ is falling continues….
Here in Mexico, the one percent that goes fishing has stopped dead. Cautious people with money ignore the discounts since they don´t worry much about these things. But they believe where there is smoke there is fire and nobody wants to get burnt. So Mexico sees an invasion of tourism on the cheap. They don´t go to restaurants, they don´t take tours, they don´t buy things and stay in the all inclusive hotels where they have everything they need onsite. Of course this doesn´t help the local economy and in fact should be illegal in my opinion. Yes have restaurants in the hotels and yes people can eat there. But putting food handcuffs on people who spent their last dime to stay in some cheap all inclusive torture hotel and doesn´t venture out to see the city is a true crime. Many of the best restaurants in Mexico are located here in Puerto Vallarta, yet they in summer find it hard to fill their establishments. That goes for the North Americans.
What most people don`t understand is that Mexican Nationals are not exactly broke and while they don´t live the high life they consider Americans live, they are happy, clean, safe and loving people. They love to take the family and get away to the beaches for holidays. They rent hotel rooms, they eat cheap for the most part, but the upper percentages attend the nicer restaurants late in the evening and will stay until all hours of the morning eating, drinking, and eating some more. To be honest it is in fact the Mexican economy that is keeping Mexico going and if you look at the contries financials you´ll find Mexico h as a better GDP than America! Tourism is important, but unlike most North American minds, Mexico really does not need America to survive. Tourism guys like me will have to agree, but tourism is our life, not all of Mexico’s Existence.
So now I hope you have a better understand of what is happening when it comes to Mexico’s Safety for Everyone. You are more likely to get hit by lightning than to have a problem in Mexico. If you are in areas where tourism is flourishing, the odds go up tenfold. If you are staying away from Mexico, I suggest you search the blogs of people who have recently been here and of those who live here. Remember PV has drinkable water, great and affordable health care by American board certified doctors, wonderful shopping, affordable living, friendly people and amazing beaches. It´s paradise that is calm and tranquil. Take it from me you´re missing out and you don´t need to be….. Now you don´t have to believe me, but you can believe the following articles and links. The truth is out there, you just have to take a minute to look for it….. Here are some great links to catch up on if you´re coming to Mexico….. http://isitsafetotraveltomexico.com or something about tourism and real estate: http://www.artipot.com/articles/866902/puerto-vallarta-real-estate-continues-to-benefit-from-a-strong-tourism-economy-government-programs-and-hotels-promotions-result-in-strong-summer-num.htm or Lonely Plane has some great articles: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonely-planet/are-americans-safer-in-me_b_1503288.html and this is the last one: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g150793-i46-k3961706-Another_Kudos_for_PV_Lonely_Planet_Guide_2010-Puerto_Vallarta_Pacific_Coast.html
For the person who just doesn´t know about coming to Vallarta, show this article to them, it will at least open the mostly closed mind.
Take care and I´ll keep a cold one handy for you…..
