A contingent of binational business and tourism leaders gathered Thursday in Tucson with one clear goal: to set a course to improve the sagging perceptions of the Arizona-Sonora border region.
Mexico's tourism industry has taken a hit in recent years due to drug-related violence that has scared off many Americans from going south.
Arizona businesses have suffered through a difficult past few months in the aftermath of the state's passage of SB 1070, the immigration law that triggered boycotts and prompted some Mexicans to avoid coming north for fear that they would be harassed by police.
The first step toward the binational leaders' goal: creation of two new websites that will showcase positive aspects of the region. The English-language website will be at IamArizona.org, and the Spanish-language website will be at YoSoySonora.org They should be up in the coming weeks.
"We want to document those positive stories," said Felipe Garcia, president of Mexico marketing and community affairs with the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau. "There are a lot of great things happening on both sides, but you don't see them, unfortunately."
Garcia moderated a three-hour discussion among more than 50 tourism and business leaders from Mexico and Arizona during Thursday's second Binational Forum on Tourism and Commerce. The event, held at the Doubletree Hotel at Reid Park, followed the first forum, held in July in Hermosillo, Sonora.
Leaders from both sides of the border agreed that they must help each other by promoting the entire region from one unified front.
Arizona business leaders said they need their Mexican counterparts to spread the word that Arizona remains a welcoming place for Mexicans to shop and visit.
"The message I want to get out to everyone is that nothing changed," said Regina Harmon, general manager of Foothills Mall, just north of Tucson. "You are still welcome here, and you are still important to us."
Mexican shoppers nearly disappeared from the mall in the first two weeks after Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 into law on April 23, Harmon said. Those shoppers have since returned, but she said it's still important to make sure Mexico knows that Arizona values their friendship and business.
Ariz., Mexico join tourism push
I was in Tucson, AZ for a whole month a few weeks ago and trust me, the malls were full of shoppers from across the border. And I know because one can spot them a mile away by a number of ways - and I hit ALL the malls there. Correct me if I'm wrong, but was Mexico not involved in the boycott of AZ????? Was it not they who were screaming bloody murder and asking their people NOT to go to AZ???? Hmmmmmmmmm
Mexico's tourism industry has taken a hit in recent years due to drug-related violence that has scared off many Americans from going south.
Arizona businesses have suffered through a difficult past few months in the aftermath of the state's passage of SB 1070, the immigration law that triggered boycotts and prompted some Mexicans to avoid coming north for fear that they would be harassed by police.
The first step toward the binational leaders' goal: creation of two new websites that will showcase positive aspects of the region. The English-language website will be at IamArizona.org, and the Spanish-language website will be at YoSoySonora.org They should be up in the coming weeks.
"We want to document those positive stories," said Felipe Garcia, president of Mexico marketing and community affairs with the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau. "There are a lot of great things happening on both sides, but you don't see them, unfortunately."
Garcia moderated a three-hour discussion among more than 50 tourism and business leaders from Mexico and Arizona during Thursday's second Binational Forum on Tourism and Commerce. The event, held at the Doubletree Hotel at Reid Park, followed the first forum, held in July in Hermosillo, Sonora.
Leaders from both sides of the border agreed that they must help each other by promoting the entire region from one unified front.
Arizona business leaders said they need their Mexican counterparts to spread the word that Arizona remains a welcoming place for Mexicans to shop and visit.
"The message I want to get out to everyone is that nothing changed," said Regina Harmon, general manager of Foothills Mall, just north of Tucson. "You are still welcome here, and you are still important to us."
Mexican shoppers nearly disappeared from the mall in the first two weeks after Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 into law on April 23, Harmon said. Those shoppers have since returned, but she said it's still important to make sure Mexico knows that Arizona values their friendship and business.
Ariz., Mexico join tourism push
I was in Tucson, AZ for a whole month a few weeks ago and trust me, the malls were full of shoppers from across the border. And I know because one can spot them a mile away by a number of ways - and I hit ALL the malls there. Correct me if I'm wrong, but was Mexico not involved in the boycott of AZ????? Was it not they who were screaming bloody murder and asking their people NOT to go to AZ???? Hmmmmmmmmm
