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Let's Go Shopping
A new program to offer rebates on purchases with the federal tax (IVA) was authorized by the federal government for foreign tourism this week. Debate springs up as to the effectiveness of this program, with supporters stating that with air fares rising nearly 35%, the rebate of the IVA on airline tickets will return a portion of the initial cost. Detractors say that it won’t affect the majority of tourism since the minimum charge allowing a return is $1,200 pesos. The average amount spent by cruise passengers is $650 pesos, a little over $60 USD, while other visitors spend about $760 pesos, just over $70 USD. Details haven’t been worked out yet as to how the program will be implemented on the local level. 9/20/05

Westin Celebrates Anniversary with Tennis Tourney
To celebrate their twelfth anniversary, the Westin Regina in Marina Vallarta is hosting an invitational tennis tournament September 22 - October 1. Under the direction of Norberto Aguirre, there will be divisions for men and women amateurs, as well as three age categories of children. Play will be by doubles, with eliminations for the male categories with more players, while the women and children will compete in a round robin. Despite not including professionals in this tournament, interested parties will have a playoff at the close of the tournament for a purse of $1000 pesos. Registration is $150 pesos. For further information call (322) 226-1143 or 226-1100. 9/20/05

Reefs May Be Built in Bay
The construction of reefs, similar to those built in the water off Barra de Navidad, is promoted as a possible option for Banderas Bay. Recent meetings in Bahía de Banderas and Puerto Vallarta concluded that once the environmental impact studies indicate that the project would have no negative impact on local beaches, the final step would be assigning the work and setting the timetable. In simple words, the reefs are constructed of a combination of cement blocks and PVCs connected to the sea floor by cables. The openings, both small and large, allow fish of different sizes to congregate and feed in the protection of the spaces, encouraging a diverse community of species. The depth of the reefs depends primarily on the average water temperature, while the actual locations of the reefs would be determined with the aid of satellite photos of the bay. 9/20/05

Bridge Construction Launched
The construction of the bridges over the Pitillal River and El Salado began recently. Scheduled to be completed by April, this eight-month highway project will increase the entrance lanes to four all the way into Puerto Vallarta. First, two lanes will be constructed on the east side of the current bridges. When completed, one of the old bridges will be destroyed while the remaining two lanes are built, after which the final old construction will be removed. At a cost of around $40 million pesos, half will be paid by the municipality while the other half will be covered by the state government. Jalisco Governor Francisco Ramírez Acuña was on hand for the inauguration of the project, which he stated brings the state total to over $100 million pesos contributed in public works locally this year. 9/20/05

Focus on Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta has received a flurry of media promotions recently. The Spanish program “Mucho Viaje” was here filming throughout the state of Jalisco for segments based on tourism to Mexico, which included several portions recorded in Puerto Vallarta. The production company visited and filmed segments on golf, water sports and adventure tours, as well as the traditional beach locations. This week, Fidetur Vallarta welcomes the producers of American Express and their new program called "Splendors of Mexico." Also recently visiting Puerto Vallarta was Yeo Li Pheow, director of the Tourism Academy Sentosa of Singapore, as part of the Asia-Jalisco program begun earlier in the year at the Tourism TIanguis in Acapulco. And finally, Televisa confirmed a $35 million peso collaboration for the state of Jalisco. A number of programs, both national and international, will be filmed in Puerto Vallarta, as well as the Maxim production scheduled for the end of October to be projected throughout Latin America and Europe. 9/20/05

Ambulance Service Available through Mayan Palace Hotels
San Javier Marina Hospital recently announced the deployment of two new ambulances at the area's Mayan Palace hotels. Each ambulance is equipped with equipment for handling traumas, fluids for emergency attention, and bilingual medically trained staff. The idea began during the National Golf Tournament at the Mayan Palace in Nuevo Vallarta, when 24-hour medical staff was requested by the hotel. This new program will serve the entire community more effectively with improved access to medical aid and attention. 9/13/05

Leading Local Chefs Teach Classes
Five of Puerto Vallarta's leading chefs – Thierry Blouet of Café des Artistes (222-2928), Luis Fitch of Los Xitomates (222-1694), Ulf Henrikkson of Trio (222-2196), Eusebio Cuevas of The River Café (223-0788) and Claudio Marras of La Palapa (222-5225) – will present a cooking program organized by CANIRAC at CECATI (the tourism school downtown) September 19 - 23. Each day a different chef will present a three-course menu, including tips on preparation and serving. Participants will receive an apron, chef hat, spoon, recipe book, and a diploma upon completing the course. The meal itself, along with complementary national wines, will be enjoyed by the students. Cost per person is $3,500 pesos. For reservations and information, contact any of the above restaurants. 9/13/05

Downtown Parking to Open Soon
The parking lot in what was previously Hidalgo Park will open soon. Nearing completion, the project was the first in the controversial series of transformations of public parks into parking lots. The upper area, where the rejuvenated park will be located and which will include spaces for events and performances, will be readied the following month, once the parking area is already in operation. 9/13/05

Fiestas Patrias Events
This week marks Fiestas Patrias with events that cover sports, culture and history, highlighted by El Grito, celebrated the night of September 15 to commemorate El Grito de Dolores, the shout for independence from Spain made by the “freedom fighters” gathered at the church in Dolores Hidalgo at 2 am September 16, 1810.

Events during the week include a Tuesday, September 13, swimming and running biathlon on the Malecón at 10 am.

Wednesday, September 14, begins with water skiing off the Malecón at 9 am, followed by the charro parade downtown at 11 am – which actually is not an event related to Fiestas Patrias, but celebrates the Day of the Charro.

Thursday, September 15, begins with a bicycle race on Avenida Rio Amazonas at 9 am, followed by evening events at the Malecón, including a burro race and greased pig contest to begin at 7 pm, and then at 8 pm the Noche Mexicana reception of the Torch of Independence at Los Arcos Amphitheater. After the torch parade, a fiesta charra precedes music and dance, to be followed at 11 pm by fireworks.
Friday, September 16, is a national holiday, with banks and many businesses closed, honoring heroes including Don Ignacio Allende and Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, both priests. A military and civic parade will be held downtown at 10 am, followed by beach volleyball at noon, a race on Avenida Rio Amazonas at 6 pm and, finally, a performance by the Xiutla Dance Troupe at 7 pm at Los Arcos Amphitheater. 9/13/05

Papantla Flyers Also in La Desembocada
The Papantla flyers now will also perform at the popular Hacienda Doña Engracia at La Desembocada, just a few miles beyond Ixtapa. Their inaugural “flight” will be held Saturday, September 10, at 6 pm. These young men are trained in a tradition based on the creation myth of the Totanaca. Legend has it that the gods said to early man, “Dance so we can observe you.” Therefore, the “Birdmen” fly (dance) to please the gods. There are five men, four who fly and one who drums and plays an instrument, traditionally a flute. (The flute represents the song of birds, while the drum represents the voice of God.) The flyers climb the pole, leap off the platform with a harness connecting them to a long cord attached to the top of the pole, while the musician plays from the platform at the top, directing his music toward the four cardinal points, beginning at the East, where life began. Each flyer rotates around the pole 13 times, resulting in a total of 52 circumnavigations, the number of years in a Mayan solar cycle and also the number of weeks in a year, representing the new beginning of the annual cycle. The tradition of flying is to honor the gods and guarantee the return of the sun and the fertility of the earth. 9/06/05

Vallarta Third Most Popular Beach Destination
Puerto Vallarta continues to be one of the most popular beach areas in Mexico among nationals and visitors from abroad, following only Cancún and Playa del Carmen. The annual report of Federal Secretary of Tourism Rodolfo Elizondo noted the accessibility and variety of services available, as well as the location, as major factors. Tourism, the third major source of income after petroleum and money sent from abroad, generated a record $10,753 million USD, nearly a third more than the previous record. Nevertheless, investment in the tourist sector fell far behind, with $2,294 million USD invested by the private sector. The federal government invested a mere 0.033% of the gross national product in tourism, one of the constant criticisms of the tourism industry nationwide. Mexico as a nation falls in the second category of worldwide tourism, along with the UK, Hong Kong, Germany and Austria, with 14% of all visitors. In first place were France, Spain, China, USA and Italy, with 33% of the 762 million tourists in 2004. See www.sectur.gob.mx for more information. 9/06/05

Pier Construction Ready to Begin
The final step toward beginning the expansion of the Maritime Terminal piers was completed on September 5, reports Astrid Castañeda Ruiz of API, Administración Portuaria Integral, the port authority. Engineer Raúl Sarmiento VIdaca, representing Tradeco Infrastructura and Innovaciones Técnicas en Cimentación, received a check in the amount 15% of $20 million pesos as a deposit on the project. Another check was received by architect Luis Barjau González, representing Supervisiones Técnicas and Control de Calidad, in the amount of $97,000 pesos to begin the project within a week. Including lengthening pier two and adding a third pier, the entire project is scheduled for completion in 455 days. 9/06/05

Charro Parade September 14
During September, the month of Fiestas Patrias, several annual events take place not only in Puerto Vallarta but throughout the country. On September 14, the Day of the Charro, the annual charro parade goes through downtown, beginning in the South Side at approximately 10 am. Parading past City Hall in all their finery, selected Mexican “cowboys” perform riding tricks as well as lariat twirling en route, accompanied by the beautiful escarramuza, the charra, or “cowgirls,” chosen for beauty, grace and talent on horseback. They then continue north on Francisco Villa to the lienzo (charro stadium) in Mojoneras for further events of charrería. In the evening a dinner-dance is held in nearby Coapinole. Next week watch for further details of Fiestas Patrias events. 9/06/05

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