Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride To Top 20 Million Mile Mark This Sept. 26

Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride To Top
20 Million Mile Mark This Sept. 26

Ron Raposa


ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Now in its 30th year the Rosarito-Ensenada 50-Mile Fun Bicycle Ride will surpass 20 million total miles covered with its Sept. 26 event.

About 5,000 riders are expected for the festive scenic ride, much of it along a coastal route from Rosarito to Ensenada, said ride organizer Gary Foster.

During the past 30 years since 1979, the iconic twice-yearly event has been held 52 times and almost 400,000 riders have participated, Foster said.

“This great anniversary edition of the ride will be as festive as years past, both for our many riders and the thousands of people who come to view the event and cheer on the participants,” Foster said.

Added Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres, whose city hosts the event: “The ride is one of the signature events for Rosarito and this region of Baja. It attracts excellent people and creates a great atmosphere. We’re greatly looking forward to it.”

Participants can register online for $45 through www.BetterSignUp.com, or they can register on the day of the event for $50 at the Rosarito Beach Hotel. More information is available at www.RosaritoEnsenada.com as well as www.rosarito.org

The Rosarito-Ensenada ride has been called the Original Party on Wheels. Revelers in costume roll along, tossing candy to children along the course. Beach cruisers strap boom boxes to their handlebars. Parents tow children.

Racing teams form pace lines, trying to beat the official record of 1:52:54 set in April of 2007. Other participants just ride for the enjoyment and atmosphere.

Transportation packages from the United States are available, Foster said. Tour companies transport riders’ bicycles at no extra charge, and because the buses return to the United State through the rapid SENTRI lane, cyclists avoid a wait at the border.

Many hotels offer special rates and are participating in the Border Fast Pass program which can cut border waits by half, especially on the weekends, Foster said.

The Finish Line Fiesta is free for participants and spectators, overlooking the Ensenada harbor with panoramic views of the cruise ships at sunset. Live rock-n-roll, jazz and salsa plays into the night while local chefs serve their best.

Massage therapists are available to work out every knot, and there will be a lot
of celebrating with ice cold beer and award-winning wines from Baja’s wine country, Foster said.

Shuttles are available on the event course from the finish line to the start line before and after the event. So if participants stay in Rosarito Beach, they can take the shuttle back to Rosarito after the event.

“The corridor from Rosarito Beach to Ensenada is safe for tourists, and Baja remains a beautiful and affordable destination for travel with friends and family," Foster added.

Foster said that this recent e-mail from a frequent ride participant summed up the spirit of the event: “Thanks for another great experience! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve done this ride since the early 1990’s. All I know is they keep getting better!”

www.bajainvestment.com

Baja Is Safe For Visitors, Says Ranking U.S. Diplomat

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Baja is safe for visitors and he hopes its vital tourism sector quickly rebounds, a leading U.S. diplomat told El Mexicano newspaper in a front-page story published Monday.

Ronald Kramer, head of the U.S Consulate in Tijuana, said that some coverage of Mexico’s war against drug cartels had falsely created the impression in the U.S. that the area is unsafe for visitors.

While the bi-national effort against drug cartels is a serious one, visitors are not targeted, Kramer said. He also praised the Mexican army and authorities for their successes in the effort.

Kramer expects efforts by Mexican leaders, including Rosarito Beach Hugo Torres, to be successful in rebuilding Mexico’s image, but said the country’s economy and many of its people currently are suffering because of the significant loss of tourism dollars.

Kramer also said concerns in past weeks about the H1N1 virus (also known as the swine flu) had hurt the area’s economy.

He cited as an example some cruise lines canceling voyages to Ensenada and diverting them to San Diego, which actually had more confirmed cases of the flu.

MEDIA CONTACT:Ron Raposa

www.bajainvestment.com

No place like Baja for Boulevard's Roeseler

By Bill Center, Union-Tribune Staff Writer
2:00 a.m. June 4, 2009

Larry Roeseler has raced in Baja California for 37 years.
He holds the record for overall wins in both the Baja 1000 and Baja 500. He has triumphed on two wheels as well as four.
Few racers know the Baja better than the 52-year-old Roeseler.
And he can't think of off-road racing without Baja California.
“It would be a sad day if there were no Baja 500 or Baja 1000,” Roeseler said this week while preparing for Saturday's 41st running of the SCORE Tecate 500.
“There is no experience quite like Baja races. It can been 110 degrees in the desert and five hours later you're racing in a fog bank along the Pacific Ocean. You've got pine forests and rocks, ruts and silt.
“There are great races and courses in Nevada, but nothing throws as much at you as Baja California.”
Roeseler will be looking for his 25th overall win in the Baja 500/1000 tandem Saturday while teaming with Roger Norman in a TrophyTruck. Truck owner Norman, who is the stepson of Unlimited Hydroplane legend Bill Muncey, and Roeseler won the overall four-wheel title in the Baja 1000 last November.
Nineteen of Roeseler's overall wins came on motorcycles with five coming in buggies and TrophyTrucks.
“Naturally, I have a love for the place,” Roeseler said of Baja California. “I have always enjoyed going to Baja California. I don't feel threatened at all coming down here.
“Yes, there are places you don't want to go. But there are places you don't want to go wherever you are. There are a lot of good people in Mexico. I think that fact gets lost in a lot of the news we've seen recently.”
Roeseler, who lives in Boulevard and runs Norman's race shop in El Cajon, acknowledged that Baja California has undergone considerable change since he first raced there in 1972 on a Harley Davidson motorcycle powered by a two-stroke Italian engine.
“It is still changing,” he said. “When I started racing, Baja California was wide open. You could go for almost a hundred miles and not see a soul. There are now many more people along our course.
“But there is still a lot of nowhere out there. And it's always a good time, whether it be the racing or the pre-running before the race.”
Like Malcolm Vinje once said of racing in Baja California: “Don't let the race get in the way of pre-running.”
The Norman-Roeseler team is off to a slow start this season, but Roeseler believes the Baja 500 will bring “redemption.”
“I think we're getting back to where we were before the Baja 1000,” said Roeseler, who also holds the record with 16 class wins in the Baja 500.
The Baja 500 will start and finish in Ensenada with the 432.51-mile loop course nearly duplicating last year's track.
“We might be following the same path, but it's never the same terrain conditions from one day to the next, much less one year to the next,” said Roeseler.
SCORE officials are expecting more than 275 starters in the four-wheel, motorcycle and ATV divisions. The first motorcycles start at 6 a.m. with the fastest four-wheel vehicles starting two hours later.

www.bajainvestment.com

One Journalist’s View

By Linda Ellerbee


Sometimes I’ve been called a maverick because I don’t always agree
with my colleagues, but then, only dead fish swim with the stream all
the time. The stream here is Mexico .

You would have to be living on another planet to avoid hearing how
dangerous Mexico has become, and, yes, it’s true drug wars have
escalated violence in Mexico , causing collateral damage, a phrase I
hate. Collateral damage is a cheap way of saying that innocent people,
some of them tourists, have been robbed, hurt or killed.

But that’s not the whole story. Neither is this. This is my story.

I’m a journalist who lives in New York City , but has spent
considerable time in Mexico , specifically Puerto Vallarta , for the
last four years. I’m in Vallarta now. And despite what I’m getting
from the U.S. media, the 24-hour news networks in particular, I feel
as safe here as I do at home in New York , possibly safer. I walk the
streets of my Vallarta neighborhood alone day or night. And I don’t
live in a gated community, or any other All-Gringo neighborhood. I
live in Mexico . Among Mexicans. I go where I want (which does not
happen to include bars where prostitution and drugs are the basic
products), and take no more precautions than I would at home in New
York; which is to say I don’t wave money around, I don’t act the Ugly
American, I do keep my eyes open, I’m aware of my surroundings, and I
try not to behave like a fool.

I’ve not always been successful at that last one. One evening a friend
left the house I was renting in Vallarta at that time, and,
unbeknownst to me, did not slam the automatically-locking door on her
way out. Sure enough, less than an hour later a stranger did come into
my house. A burglar? Robber? Kidnapper? Killer? Drug lord?

No, it was a local police officer, the “beat cop” for our
neighborhood, who, on seeing my unlatched door, entered to make sure
everything (including me) was okay. He insisted on walking with me
around the house, opening closets, looking behind doors and, yes, even
under beds, to be certain no one else had wandered in, and that
nothing was missing. He was polite, smart and kind, but before he
left, he lectured me on having not checked to see that my friend had
locked the door behind her. In other words, he told me to use my
common sense.

Do bad things happen here? Of course they do. Bad things happen
everywhere, but the murder rate here is much lower than, say, New
Orleans, and if there are bars on many of the ground floor windows of
houses here, well, the same is true where I live, in Greenwich
Village, which is considered a swell neighborhood — house prices start
at about $4 million (including the bars on the ground floor windows).

There are good reasons thousands of people from the United States are
moving to Mexico every month, and it’s not just the lower cost of
living, a hefty tax break and less snow to shovel. Mexico is a
beautiful country, a special place. The climate varies, but is
plentifully mild, the culture is ancient and revered, the young are
loved unconditionally, the old are respected, and I have yet to hear
anyone mention Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, or Madonna’s attempt to
adopt a second African child, even though, with such a late start, she
cannot possibly begin to keep up with Anglelina Jolie.

And then there are the people. Generalization is risky, but— in
general — Mexicans are warm, friendly, generous and welcoming. If you
smile at them, they smile back. If you greet a passing stranger on the
street, they greet you back. If you try to speak even a little
Spanish, they tend to treat you as though you were fluent. Or at least
not an idiot. I have had taxi drivers track me down after leaving my
wallet or cell phone in their cab. I have had someone run out of a
store to catch me because I have overpaid by twenty cents. I have been
introduced to and come to love a people who celebrate a day dedicated
to the dead as a recognition of the cycles of birth and death and
birth — and the 15th birthday of a girl, an important rite in becoming
a woman — with the same joy.

Too much of the noise you’re hearing about how dangerous it is to come
to Mexico is just that — noise. But the media love noise, and too many
journalists currently making it don’t live here. Some have never even
been here. They just like to be photographed at night, standing near a
spotlighted border crossing, pointing across the line to some
imaginary country from hell. It looks good on TV.

Another thing. The U.S. media tend to lump all of Mexico into one big
bad bowl. Talking about drug violence in Mexico without naming a state
or city where this is taking place is rather like looking at the
horror of Katrina and saying, “Damn. Did you know the U.S. is under
water?” or reporting on the shootings at Columbine or the bombing of
the Federal building in Oklahoma City by saying that kids all over the
U.S. are shooting their classmates and all the grownups are blowing up
buildings. The recent rise in violence in Mexico has mostly occurred
in a few states, and especially along the border. It is real, but it
does not describe an entire country.

It would be nice if we could put what’s going on in Mexico in
perspective, geographically and emotionally. It would be nice if we
could remember that, as has been noted more than once, these drug wars
wouldn’t be going on if people in the United States didn’t want the
drugs, or if other people in the United States weren’t selling Mexican
drug lords the guns. Most of all, it would be nice if more people in
the United States actually came to this part of America ( Mexico is
also America , you will recall) to see for themselves what a fine
place Mexico really is, and how good a vacation (or a life) here can
be.

So come on down and get to know your southern neighbors. I think
you’ll like it here. Especially the people.


www.bajainvestment.com

Is Mexico safer than New Orleans?

Posted by Jason Clampet at 3/26/2009

I've been a big fan of Baja California ever since I lived in Los Angeles and began taking frequent trips to the peninsula. I'm not sure, though, how accurate my impressions of the place are now, considering that I spent all of my time there before the uptick in violence that began in 2008. From the recent press reports and the warnings coming from the State Department as well as TV talk-show hosts, you'd think all of Mexico was a death trap waiting to snap shut on you as soon as you cleared customs in Tijuana, Mexico City, Cancun, or Cabo San Lucas.

I got sick of sifting through all the "don't go to Mexico" stories out there, so I emailed Hugo Torres, the mayor of Rosarito, for some perspective. Rosarito, a 20-minute drive from downtown Tijuana, became a hot spot in the early 2000s for southern Californians seeking affordable second homes. It's also a popular weekend spot for college kids and soldiers from the San Diego area.

Torres has a few biases, to say the least: in addition to being mayor, his family has long owned Rosarito's most notable hotel (Sinatra, Orson Welles, and Rita Hayworth were a few of its guests from Hollywood's Golden Age). But he's not an idiot, which is why he's not going to say "come on down, it's safe" if he thinks that'll lead to San Diego surfer getting kidnapped



"The best way [to know what's going on] is to talk to our frequent visitors or some of the 14,000 expatriates who live here," Mayor Torres emailed me. "They know from first-hand experience that Rosarito is safe and welcoming, perhaps more so than ever."


"The inaccurate perception of insecurity here has greatly reduced tourism. That perception, along with the U.S. economic slump, also has deeply impacted residential building. Together, it has been a tough economic hit. About 5 restaurants closed in this period, so far, one hotel closed for previous problem aggravated by the current crisis. Approximately 1,500 jobs have been lost."

A number of residential developments have been suspended or shut down completely, including a Trump condo tower that would have likely been a debacle with or without the violence and economic slump. Yesterday, Rosarito delayed until August a pro surfing contest that was to be held in April, citing a lack of sponsors and the need to wait until the media frenzy died down.

Torres trusts that will happen soon enough. "In general, the media that know us best and cover us most closely have presented the most accurate portrait. This includes, foremost, the San Diego Union-Triubune and also the Los Angeles Times. Pete Thomas, who writes the "Outposts" blog for the Times, has been excellent. Many of the sensationalized stories are done by reporters who seldom --- and sometimes never --- visit the area."

Like other Mexico boosters, Torres pushes the cartel-on-cartel violence story line. "The violence we have had has been primarily between rival factions of a drug cartels as more pressure is brought upon them; our visitors are not targeted nor is the typical resident affected. However, the inaccurate perception of insecurity here has greatly reduced tourism."

A vast majority -- over 90% by just about any count -- of those that have been killed in Tijuana and other cities are related to the drug trade in one way or another. It's also true that the violence is so concentrated in certain cities that there is rarely spillover into nearby towns, let alone other states. Baja California Sur, which takes up the southern half of the peninsula and includes La Paz and the Los Cabos area, had one drug-related murder this year, making the area safer than just about any city in the United States. Torres and others have pointed out that New Orleans, which almost everyone in the travel industry encourages people to visit, ranked third in 2008 for the most murders per capita in the world -- just between Cape Town, South Africa and Moscow, Russia.

That doesn't mean people shouldn't be careful when traveleing there. "We'd give pretty much the same advice that works for travelers anywhere," Torres says. "Stay in the popular tourist and business areas and avoid ones where things like drug dealing and prostitution occur. That won't be hard to do."

Photo credit:
Guadalupe Valley vineyards
Photo by jasoncedit

Gustavo Torres
www.bajainvestment.com

WAR ON THE DRUG CARTELS

As we've seen in the many many new US news reports on the drugs and violence, there is a war going on. We've seen too that, like Mrs. Clinton mentioned repeatedly, as long as the US continues the drug demand, all countries in the world will keep supplying it.
The difference here is that Mexico declared a WAR ON THE DRUG CARTELS…
I wish I could say the same for the US and other countries. I have never seen where the US police forces capture a drug boss in US soil.
WHY are we leaving the war only to Mexico? And yes, we have a drug war going on in Mexico, trying to stop narcotics from crossing the border.
Drugs mostly come from Colombia, Venezuela, Panama and other places, stop in Mexico, and then find their way into the US market. And the news people love to exaggerate the situation and show Mexico and places like Baja, very unstable, and like some even say in these blogs…”on the brink of civil war”.
This is amazingly ridiculous. Mexico is a stable country, and in most Mexican cities, you wont event know there is a drug war going on. In Baja, for example, we have over 20 million American tourists visiting every year, and no big incident involving an American has occurred in the last 18 months.
Out of 20 million VISITORS! How many incidents involving Americans have occurred in cities in the US in the same period?
Please be real! I ask US media: please be fair, and show the other side of Mexico! In some Baja cities, like Rosarito Beach for example, over 10% of the population is American, living happily, and now upset at US media, as they are scaring their friends and family from visiting them! They mostly believe that there is an agenda to attack and discredit Mexico. In another example, an agent for the US State Departement in California, saw some news reports, and based on that, he issued the travel alert for spring breakers NOT to travel to Baja or other parts of Mexico.
Yes, out of exagerated news reports… no facts, no knowledge!
Millions of spring breakers had been coming to Baja for over many years, and NO incident what so ever has happend to any of these visitors… Now with these media reports, the Tourisim sector in Baja is in crisis. I know bad and scary news sells more, but look at the damage to our country when newspeople don’t cover the true facts.
Mexico’s number one export is oil, but our number two income source is tourism.


Gustavo from Baja
www.bajainvestment.com

Ron Raposa

College Project Focuses On Media Accuracy in The Coverage of Rosarito Beach, Mexico
ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO ---A public affairs class from Boston’s prestigious Emerson College for the second year will focus on conveying an accurate picture of this tourist city and dispelling misleading U.S. media reports.

The RediscoveRosarito project is that of a graduate class in public affairs led by Emerson College professor Gregory Payne, whose family also has a home in the tourist and vacation city 30 miles south of San Diego.

Payne originated the idea for the project in international public affairs after seeing some U.S. media reports that presented a picture of Rosarito far removed from the city that he had known for years and to which he is a frequent visitor.
“One of our major objectives it to ensure that the stories and narratives are backed with facts and not sensationalized solely to get the attention of the public,” Payne said.

“Last year and this year, we see the mediated reality at odds with the facts. Rosarito is a safe and secure city for tourists to visit and expatriates to move to and enjoy the Baja Mexican lifestyle.”
He cited a recent segment on ABC World News Tonight as an example of misleading coverage.

“Mexico under the leadership of President Felipe Calderon is conducting a serious battle against drug cartels. But despite what some media reports have indicated, regular residents and visitors to Baja California are not the targets.”
Rosarito Mayor Hugo Torres said he was very appreciative of the work of Payne and his class, 10 of whose members visited Rosarito when the project was launched. He said that inaccurate perceptions had badly damaged the city’s tourism-based economy.

“It’s gratifying to have such a prestigious U.S. college as Emerson advocating for us and helping our story be told in a fair and balanced way,” Torres said. “With our new tourist police force and other steps, Rosarito with its population of 14,000 expatiates is safer and more welcoming than ever.”

Emerson students this year will continue the bi-lingual RediscoveRosarito website, the second Rosarito Student Film Festival, and a media ethics project - rosaritofactcheck - dedicated to making sure the media’s message is fair and accurate.
The results of this media audit will be presented at the National Communication Association`s Annual Convention in Chicago this November and at the International Academy of Business Disciplines Annual Convention in Los Angeles, Spring, 2010.

Results of the audit will also be submitted to Media Ethics, a scholarly publication on the role of ethics and the media, as well as to local news affiliates in California and Mexico, Payne said.
Emerson students also are working on a collaborative project with students from Southern California colleges dedicated to promoting Rosarito as a great place for spring break and weekend trips.
A public relations campaign will be developed to promote this effort by the class at Emerson, founded in 1880 as the only school devoted exclusively to communication,

RE/MAX Baja Realty
www.remax-baja.com

New services to ensure continued enjoyment of retirement

BAJA TIMES
Volume XXX, Number 94 December 1-15, 2008
HEALTH

Unique and Much Needed Services in Baja
New services to ensure continued enjoyment of retirement

Serena Senior Care opened its doors in spring of this year offering high quality assisted living, health management, and property care services in the Rosarito Beach area of Baja California, Mexico.

Don’t wait until it is to late! Many retirees from the United States, Canada and other parts of the world have been enjoying their retirement in Rosarito for years. Some have been here for over 20 years and as they age they have more difficulty dealing with normal daily activities. Entering in to these later stages in life may also require putting more attention to your health and being more proactive about taking care of yourself.

Some people choose to ignore these realities and don’t take any action, slowly losing the quality of life they used to enjoy. But others take action, and decide to keep enjoying life and not just surviving it. A good example is Peter Fowler, who will be 85 this winter. He moved to Rosarito four years ago and was enjoying life, and then he started to have some health problems and realized he needed help. Peter hired a caregiver, Gabriela, from Serena Senior Care and his quality of life increased. He is now enjoying his retirement again, “It was like a ton of bricks was lifted off my back,” says Peter. “Gabriela still comes by and simply makes life easy for me, in spite of my physical restrictions. We’re like family,” added Peter.

With the commitment to continually improve their services Serena Senior Care has announced new products that will undoubtedly become valuable resources to many. One of the services that many people have been asking for is an all inclusive assisted living facility, which is now a reality. Serena has now available a beautiful residence that is exceptionally equipped ready to host up to 15 residents. In this home, residents will have lodging, all meals, housekeeping, personal care by trained nurses and caregivers, supervision from a Geriatrician, social activities, physical therapy, and many other services.

This new service is a great value, with an affordable monthly fee that is about 50% the cost of comparable services in California, but with the distinctive warm hospitality of Mexico. Anyone interested in visiting the facility can RSVP for a tour directly at the Serena offices calling (661) 612 9090, or may go to their Open House on December 4th. “Nobody knows when the sky will fall, so knowing that Casa Harmony is available now, or for my final years, makes me feel safe and secure. I have peace of mind. Serena Senior Care has been good to me” conclude Peter.

Other times our loved ones need help and we become their caregivers, a task that takes its toll as time goes by. In these cases family caregivers need a break. For example, Virginia Anderson has lived in Rosarito for over 16 years and has been taking care of her husband after he become ill over ten years ago. Today Virginia has contracted a nurse from Serena Senior Care for one or two days per week giving her the opportunity to go out and do the things she enjoys, such as going to religious services and visiting with friends. “I am very pleased with the care my husband is getting when the caregiver comes to give me a day off. My husband likes the nurse very much and she seems to like him. Even though he can`t speak they seem to know what each other is saying” says Virginia.

New tools to make your life better: Since Serena Senior Care started they have demonstrated their commitment to becoming a true resource and a solutions provider for retirees in the region. They organized the first Health Fair focused on foreign residents and they launched the Serena Full Assistance Card that provides access to top medical services in the region and other services that give cardholders peace of mind such as road side assistance and emergency home repairs, all accessible through a 24- hour toll free number with bilingual operators. Recently they have added more services and discounts to the Full Assistance Card at some of the more prestigious restaurants such as Rincon San Roman at Real del Mar, That’s Amore, Cha Cha’s Café and others. Also they have increased the number of places where you can buy the card, such as the “Roma” pharmacies, International Mail Center, and Bajamart & Deli in Bajamar. The Card will soon be available in Ensenada, as well. You can find an updated list of places to buy and get discounts on their website, www.serenaseniorcare.com.

Other services now offered by Serena Senior Care are TLC and a Preventive Maintenance Policy. TLC stands for “Tender Loving CALLS”, a daily friendly call in English to check up on you and make sure everything is ok, or to make arrangements if you need something. This is a wonderful and simple service for those that live alone and want peace of mind that someone is looking out for them in case anything happens. The preventive maintenance program offers an inspection of your home to make sure that all the pluming, including gas, and electrical installations are working properly; to make sure all doors and windows work, and that there are no roof leaks. The inspections are done by trained technicians every 3 months. This is a perfect solution for those that don’t live permanently here or that are not the do-it-yourself type. If something needs repairs, Serena Senior Care can take care of it!

New services and new easy convenient ways to get them are one way that Serena Senior Care is proving its commitment to the Baja Retiree community in Rosarito and the North Baja coast. For more information contact Serena Senior Care at info@serenaseniorcare.com.

www.remax-baja.com

Developer of the year

Rosarito Beach Hotel Is Developer of the Year
For 271-Suite 17-Story Condo-Hotel Project

By Ron Raposa

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---The Rosarito Beach Hotel has been named Developer of the Year for its 17-story, 271-suite beachfront condo-hotel tower, which was inaugurated Aug. 2.
The award from the Baja California Meeting Point and the Baja State Secretary of Tourism was presented at an Oct. 23 banquet to hotel executive director Laura Torres and project director Somit Talwar.
The $55-million project which was completed in 18 months is the first condo-hotel to open in Baja, California. With its opening the Rosarito Beach Hotel, a landmark since 1925, became the largest resort in Baja, with 500 units.
“We’re very proud of this new addition,” said Ms. Torres. “Not only does it provide the option of ownership for the first time in the hotel’s history, it also greatly expands the lodging opportunities and amenities available to our guests.”
Added Mr. Talwar, “We were very pleased to complete this project on time, while maintaining the highest construction standards and a commitment to be earth friendly and energy efficient. At the same time, we were able to maintain a high level of sales.”
The condo-hotel project, also know as the Pacifico Tower, joins two other towers at the seaside resort.
One-bedroom to three-bedroom penthouse suites are offered for purchase at prices ranging from the high $100’s to $600,000. Owners have the option of placing their suites in a rental program when not in use, under a 50-50 revenue split with the hotel.
The condo-hotel Pacifico Tower feature a rooftop infinity pool plus another at ground level, poolside bars, a billiard room with bar, gymnasium and its own concierge. A rooftop restaurant with a panoramic views of the city and sea is planned.
All suites are fully furnished in contemporary Mexican décor, with original art from leading local painters.
In addition, owners and guests have access to all amenities of the legendary and historic hotel, including casual and gourmet restaurants, the elegant Casa Playa Spa, bars and entertainment.
“With the addition of the Pacifico Tower, we are able to offer a wide range of lodging options at various price points,” Ms. Torres said. “That enables us to tailor the hotel experience to meet almost every need and budget, from singles to couples and families.”
Since opening in 1925 the Rosarito Beach Hotel has hosted millions of guests, including such Hollywood luminaries as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth and Gregory Peck, plus dignitaries from around the world.

Thanks for visit my blog
Gustavo Torres
remax-baja.com
1-866-588-2252

Mexico emerges as popular property investment for Canadians

Written by Property Wire
Thursday, 02 October 2008
Canadian property investors are increasingly investing in Mexico as they regard the US market as not a good prospect at the moment.
An increase in the number of flights from Canada to Mexico and a desire to avoid the volatility of the US market means more are buying second homes and investment properties further afield.

One investor, Doug Walker, had considered buying in Hawaii and the Caribbean. He wanted a holiday home to which he and his wife could eventually retire. 'We were looking for something special but we also wanted to make a good investment,' he said.

He has now bought a home overlooking the Sea of Cortez and the 18th hole of a private golf club on Mexico's western coast.

Walker is not the only Canadian looking to Mexico for a good investment. According to Alfonso Sumano, the Mexican Tourism Board's regional director for Canada, more and more Canadians are holidaying in Mexico and then deciding to invest.

This year flights arriving in Mexico increased by 9.2% and this has made Mexico an easy destination to reach and boosted interest.

'Canadians can leave home in the morning and be on the beach by lunchtime,' said Sumano. Although he could not provide any official statistics for the number of Canadians buying property in Mexico, he said the number had increased substantially.

At Querencia, the luxury gated community where Walker has invested, about 10% are owned by Canadians. Jorge Carrera, president and chief executive officer of Querencia, said he has seen an increase in interest from Canadians.

'My last five buyers have been Canadians. We haven't really targeted them but with the interest we are getting, we are looking to attract more Canadians,' he added.

He reckons that the strong Canadian dollar, low property taxes – just 0.25% of a property's assessed value – and a very low cost of living make Mexico an attractive location for property investors.

www.bajainvestment.com

Mexico Tourism Indicators Up for the First Half of 2008

Posted on September 30, 2008

By: Lisa Coleman

Mexico is a survivor. It seems as much as the U.S. wants to focus on the bad, people still seem to see the good. Despite the steady stream of negative press, the tourists still come, the hotels still thrive, and more and more, people are considering a permanent move south of the border. For those of us who love and understand this amazing country, it’s a constant struggle against the media. They drudge through the daily public drug wars, the poverty, and mold a perception. Still Mexico pushes forward. They are fighting for their image, and for the life blood that is tourism.

It’s no secret things have been rough for Mexico in the last year. The media has made sure you heard it all. Well, I’ve got some good news to share…. people are still coming to Mexico. And the numbers prove the point.

In the first seven months of the year, Mexico received $8.475 million dollars in foreign currency, which signified a 6.3 percent increase compared to the same period in 2007.

• Almost 14 million tourists entered the country, an increase of 5.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
• As of July 2008, the country registered a total of 2.234 million workers in the tourism industry, which represents a 2.3 percent higher rate than the one registered in the same month in 2007.

During the first seven months of the year, there was an influx of $8.475 million dollars from the spending of foreign tourists, which signified a 6.3 percent increase compared to the same period in 2007, informed Rodolfo Elizondo Torres, Secretary of Tourism of Mexico (SECTUR).

According to the most recent data from the Bank of Mexico’s International Visitor Count, Secretary Elizondo said, in the January-July 2008 period, the country received 13.620 million tourists, a quantity that represented a 5.2 percent increase compared to the same period in 2007.

Likewise, the head of SECTUR said that the average spending of tourists who traveled further than the border - those who have the longest stays and greater spending - was of $788 dollars per trip, which represents an increase of 3.8 percent from 2007.

Secretary Elizondo emphasized the airline industry transported 26.5 million passengers between January and July 2008, 6.1 percent more than in 2007.

So there you have it… My sombrero is off to everyone involved with the tourism industry!

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