Page 14/The Battalion/Thursday, June 9, 1983
American tourists swamping Mexico
United Press International
MEXICO CITY — A horde of
American tourists, drawn by re
ports of bargain-basement
prices, is pouring into Mexico,
crowding Mexican vacationers
out of many resorts and swamp
ing hotels.
1 he wave is particularly dra
matic considering many tourists
were scared away last year, fear
ing Mexico’s economic crisis was
a social one and that it would
mean body searches in airports.
“People were afraid of a coup
or revolution here,” said Mario
Araboto, head of public rela
tions at Aeromexico Airlines.
“But now they have been reas
sured Mexico is a tranquil
place.”
It is to all, except for tourists
who have confirmed, pre-paid
reservations that are not hon
ored when they arrive.
At the Sheraton Hotel at the
Pacific resort of Puerto Vallarta
recently a harassed clerk turned
away arriving tourists with re
servations, all of them Amer-
Tourism officials say the lift
ing of exchange controls in De
cember and a promotional
media blitz in the United States
have paid off, and potential visi
tors have been convinced that
Mexico has become a tourist’s
paradise.
In the first four months of
1983, some 1.5 million fore
igners visited Mexico, a 20 per
cent increase over the corres
ponding period last year. Tour
ism Minister Antonio Enriquez
Savignac said in a recent televi
sion interview.
The great majority of those
tourists flew to border spots or
sought refuge in resorts like
Cancun, Acapulco and Puerto
Vallarta, airline sources said.
Further helping the country
gain ground over other choice
vacation spots like Hawaii and
Europe was Mexico’s devalua
tion of its peso three times last
year — from 27 per dollar to 150
per dollar.
“We’ve always had everything
to offer — girls in bikinis, beauti
ful beaches, folklore, deluxe
hotels,” said Juan Manuel Buen-
dia, head of Group Travel and
Conventions at Mexico’s Tour
ism Council. “But now it is all so
cheap.”
A steak in a top restaurant in
Mexico City’s fashionable Zona
Rosa area now costs $5, while the
“We've always had ev
erything to offer — girls
in bikinis, beautiful
beaches, folklore, de
luxe hotels, but now it is
all so cheap. ”
co’s white beaches totals only
$65.
The price in pesos, however,
has zoomed to three or four
times the cost a year ago, putting
the resorts out of reach of many
Mexicans.
Tourists also are drawn by re
ports of cheap merchandise,
said Alba Denzer, an editor of
Mexicana Airlines’ promotional
magazine, Caminos del Aire.
“Acapulco still means magic
in the States,” she said. “But now
bill for a double room in a five-
star hotel overlooking Acapul
many gringos are coming to
Mexico just to shop, buying not
handicrafts but three-piece Pier
re Cardin suits for $120 and
brand-label ties and boots.”
Many hotel men and re
staurant managers say their
establishments are booked to
capacity during prime holiday
weeks. Tourism officials, re
membering last year’s losses, are
doing all they can to keep it that
way.
The Tourism Ministry has
slapped price ceilings on hotels
rates to be honored through
mid-December, and local news
papers report that half-finished
hotels in vation spots are now
hurriedly being completed
thanks to loans from the Nation
al Tourism Fund.
fli
Moreover, Aeromexico,
which axed several domestic
flights last year because of di
minished demand, is throwing
in a free stop-over in Mexican
city on many of its I
U.S. destinations.
Tourism officials sayii
dustry is helping thei
back on its financial feet,p:
ing foreign revenue espt^jj 76 f
crucial now that Mexico/ '
to lose about $1.5
of slashed petroleum prij
Enriquez Savignac
4.35 million foreign viskJ
bring Mexico a tourismsuj
of $ 1.2 billion, or
year’s sum, and a record
amount for Mexico.
He also said the swj
generating about 3.5 mlii!
al jobs, necessary to i
underemployment andi
ployment, together setat
than 40 percent.
^Dillard’s
The Text
(onday aft<
> it could vc
g executiv
ing.
he exec
ig of eight i
rning boch
Tie commit
■ker, a se
Bed men
■speaker
Binistrati
meeting
FAMOUS LABEL DAYWEAR AND SLEEPWEAR! OLGA! VANITY FAIR!
MISS ELAINE! FLAIR! SMART TIME! KOMAR! GILEAD! VAL MODE!
Unite-
Israeli D<
■ssays Is
ito withdra
mouni
id-up guer
ve Israeli >
! eel
he let r
save 2.51 to 3.51! lacy
“Secret Hug” half slips
or camisoles by Olga®
Orig. $25-$52. Save on
Miss Elaine® long or
short gowns, robes, pa
jamas, loungers and
baby dolls. P-S-M-L.
Comp, at $17-$21. Select
from your favorite styles
with smocked necklines,
flounced hems and
more! S-M-L.
Comp, at $15-$17. Cool,
polyester/cotton short
gowns and baby dolls in
solids or prints, available
in sizes S-M-L.
Grig. $13-$24. We haveo
wide selection of
fashion styles and colas
• • • ail in summef
pastels, P-S-M-L.
Regularly
12.5013.50
999
A lovely selection of daywear from the
"Secret Hug" collection. 100% nylon
camisoles in nude or white; nude half slips
with mitered lace, cutaway hems, S-XL.
Register to win a
s 100 LINGERIE WARDROBE
in the Intimate Apparel area.
Drawing will be held July 5th,
winner notified by mail.
No purchase necessary.
You need not be present to win.
VANITY FAIR® BRIEFS VANITY FAIR® HIPSTERS “NO-SHOW”® BIKINIS
Reg. $4 ea 3/8.99.' Reg. 3.75 ea. . . .' .3/8.99. Reg.$3ea. . . . . .3/7.99.
Classic styles in Antron® III Antron® III nylon hipsters. Nylon bikinis by Maiden-
nylon. 5-7. Pastels. 5-7. form.® 5-7.
“NO SHOW”® BRIEF!
Reg. 3.50 ea. . . , 3/7$
Maidenform® nylon brief
cotton gusset. 5-7.
shop Dillard’s monday thru Saturday 10'9; post oak mall, college station