A Good Season for Canadian Tourists

by Murry Page

31 Mar 14  

mazmessenger.com

 

The Canadian Consular Agent in Mazatlán, Wendy Hardouin, said this season has been an exceptionally good one for tourists from Canada, adding that around 17,000 Canadians will have visited Mazatlán by the time the Canadian tourists return home around April 20.

The Consular Agent said she expects the 2014-2015 season to see even a greater number of Americans and Canadians spending their winter vacations in Mazatlán.

Wendy Hardouin said it is difficult to get an accurate count of the number of Canadian visiting the city, as they arrive not only by air, but land and sea, where obtaining accurate numbers is more difficult. The 17,000 number does not include those arriving in Mazatlán other than by air.

The Canadian Consular Agent also noted that the number of expatriates deciding to retire in Mazatlán is growing. She estimates the number of expatriates living in Mazatlán on a full time basis has increased 25 percent.

(from El Sol de Mazatlán)

How To: Enter and Exit Procedures Into and Out of Mexico

mexicovacationtraveltips.com


Here are the three main things to remember when trying to enter and exit Mexico.

1. Have a form of I.D.

 

This can include a Passport or Drivers Licence. However, as of March 1, 2010, all U.S Citizens, including children, are required to present a valid Passports in order to enter the “boarder zone”, meaning the area 20-30 miles before the actual Mexican Border.

Most importantly, to re-enter the United States, all persons 16 years or older must present a valid U.S. passport book or passport card to re-enter the U.S. by land and/or via an international flight.

2. A Tourist Card or FMM (Depending on the length of trip)

This is for anyone who will be staying in Mexico for more than 72 hours and/or people staying beyond the “boarder zone.”

To obtain this card if you are flying into the country, you will be given a tourist card and instructions for filling it out on board your plane. The cost of an FMM card (about $23) is included in your plane fare.

If you are driving into the country, you can obtain the information and form for a Tourist Card at the border station/immigration office. Once you have payed for the card (about $20) and gotten it stamped, remember to keep it on you at all times.

3. Proof of Citizenship (Passport or Birth Certificate)

 

During the duration of your stay in Mexico, you must have a proof of citizenship at all times.

If you need to talk with Mexico officials or if you are asked to show identification while in the country, you may need to produce your tourist card as well as your proof of citizenship.
We hope these instructions help you with your next Mexico Vacation!

Vuelven a Mazatlán cruceros Princess

Noroeste/Redacción

noroeste.com

12-03-2014

MIAMI._ La Secretaría de Turismo de Sinaloa anunció el regreso de la compañía naviera Princess a Mazatlán, con lo que aumentan a 60 los arribos de cruceros al puerto para los años 2014 y 2015.

Al encabezar la comitiva sinaloense que participa en el Cruise Shipping de Miami, Francisco Manuel Córdova Celaya informó que la línea de cruceros Princess ha programado en su itinerario a un total de 17 embarcaciones para Mazatlán durante un periodo de siete meses.

Con esto, Princess se suma a Norwegian Cruise Lines, Holland America y Azamara Cruises, que habían reprogramado sus escalas en Mazatlán desde el invierno del año pasado, y ahora anuncian el aumento de sus frecuencias hacia este puerto, de acuerdo con información difundida por la Secretaría de Turismo del estado de Sinaloa.

"Luego de sostener diversas reuniones con ejecutivos de las más importantes líneas de cruceros del mundo, que se reúnen en el Miami Beach Convention Center, también se confirmó que las líneas Norwegian y Holland America, que ya mantienen arribos al puerto, aumentaron sus frecuencias hacia este destino", detalla el comunicado de la Sectur.

Córdova Celaya dio a conocer que con los 60 arribos ya confirmados entre Princess, Holland America y Norwegian, Mazatlán recibirá entre 2014 y 2015 un total de 101 mil turistas internaciones vía marítima, y a 48 mil de tripulación en estas embarcaciones.

EL RECUENTO

MAZATLÁN vivió su época de bonanza por la industria de cruceros entre los años de 2005 y 2008, cuando se registró el arribo de 223 a 244 navíos por año, con un tope de 531 mil pasajeros

Will Your Health Plan Cover You Overseas?

budgettravel.com

By Calvin Hennick 

May 2007

 

Most health insurance companies give members some coverage abroad. The only way to know exactly what is and isn't covered, however, is to ask your provider. But what do you ask about? It's impossible to anticipate every scenario in advance. With some prep work and an understanding of how the industry functions, you'll be able to minimize the unpleasantness of a bad situation.

Emergencies

The standard policies of many providers--including Aetna, Cigna, and Humana, to name a few--cover overseas emergencies.

But what exactly qualifies as an emergency? Insurance companies use something called the prudent layperson standard. This means that if a reasonable person would believe the condition could lead to death or permanent damage, the situation is deemed an emergency and will therefore be covered.

If a member experiences chest pains and thinks he's having a heart attack, an emergency-room visit would be covered, says Jackie Aube, vice president of product management for Cigna, "even if it turns out to be gas." James Coates, M.D., senior medical director for Aetna, says altitude sickness, broken bones, dog bites, heat stroke, and cuts requiring stitches are also examples of what would be covered under the standard.

Pinkeye, poison ivy, mild cases of the flu, and other maladies that don't put life or limb in serious danger are rarely covered abroad. And even if an initial symptom qualifies as an emergency, you'll probably have to pay for follow-up care overseas.

Paying Up Front

Chances are that outside the U.S., your health insurance card will just be a useless piece of plastic. If you see a doctor or visit a hospital overseas, you'll most likely need to pay on the spot. Don't expect countries with free health care, like Canada, to pick up your tab: Coverage is intended for citizens only.

In order to get reimbursed by your health care provider, you'll need to file a claim and include an itemized receipt from the hospital. The process can take weeks, if not months. The expenses covered will be on par with how your policy works in the U.S., meaning that if you normally have a $50 co-pay for emergency-room visits, your health insurer will subtract $50 from its reimbursement check.

Medicare and Medicaid

If your only source of coverage is Medicare or Medicaid, you effectively have no health insurance outside the U.S. Medicaid pays only for services in the 50 states; Washington, D.C.; and U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico. Medicare is nearly as strict, though it provides coverage in Canada and Mexico when an emergency occurs in the U.S. but the nearest hospital is over the border. You're also covered if you're hurt or fall ill in Canada while on a direct route to Alaska. But in any other country, neither program pays for health services--even for emergencies.

Finding a Good Doctor

If you get hurt or sick abroad, you don't want to be flipping through the phone book to locate services you can trust. Some insurers provide online directories of prescreened foreign doctors and hospitals that meet U.S. standards.

Many U.S. consulates have lists of local doctors, although the State Department makes a point of saying that it doesn't endorse them or guarantee the quality of service. Embassies and consulates can also facilitate medical evacuations and, if you need money to pay a hospital, help arrange for cash to be wired from home.

Getting better advice on Mexico safety

By Carol Pucci

Special to The Seattle Times

Hawaii or Mexico? Seattleites love both, but given worries about Mexico’s drug-gang violence, Hawaii has had the edge. Now that could be changing.

“We’ve certainly seen an uptick in people buying travel to Mexico’’ said AAA Washington’s Ron Wigand. “It swings back and forth over the years. People love Hawaii, but as the prices get higher more people start shifting back to Mexico.’’

Hawaii airfares and hotel rates indeed are rising as the islands attract more visitors from Canada and Asia.
But the increase in Mexico travel could also have something to do with the U.S. government being more specific when it comes to advice on international trouble spots.

Its recent, more detailed travel warnings target specific areas to be avoided, while easing concerns for other areas of a country.

Example: In an overall warning on travel in Mexico — the longest and most detailed among travel warnings for about three dozen countries posted at travel.state.gov — the U.S. State Department urges travelers to avoid the state of Sinaloa, home to one of Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels, except for the resort city of Mazatlan where it recommends sticking to the Zona Dorada (the “Golden Zone” of high-rise hotels and beaches) and the city’s historical center.

And so, after dropping Mazatlan from their itineraries in 2011, some cruise lines are returning. Holland America and Norwegian added it to their Mexican Riviera itineraries for later this year and 2014.

“We could have thrown in the towel when the ships left in 2011,’’ Frank Cordova, Sinaloa’s secretary of tourism told Cruise Industry News, “but instead we stepped up not only to improve our security, but also with a one billion peso investment in new infrastructure,’’ including a new lighted, cobblestoned corridor between the port and downtown.

The right advice 

The State Department’s decision to replace a giant red light with some red lights, a few flashing yellows and lots of greens no doubt had its political and economic motivations. But it was the right thing to do. Travelers looking for guidance will find plenty of safe choices.

No advisories, for instance, are in effect, for Mexico’s Guanajuato, an art-filled colonial mountain city known for its art and music. Same goes with the popular American expatriate enclave of San Miguel de Allende.
And there are no advisories for Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Cancún, Cozumel, Oaxaca, Mexico City, Guadalajara or Puerto Vallarta.

The situation is more nuanced in the state of Guerrero, where the government recommends avoiding travel in northwestern and southern areas except for the resorts of Acapulco, Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa. There, the advice is to exercise caution and stay within tourist areas. In Acapulco, visitors are advised to avoid areas farther than two blocks inland of the Costera Miguel Aleman Boulevard.

Bottom line: For those who care what the U.S. government has to say about travel, the current warning on Mexico is far more useful than it’s been in past years.

Could it improve? Sure. One way would be to keep the advice more current. The last update was in July, and there was no mention of the tropical storms in September that caused mass evacuations of tourists from Acapulco.

Check other sources

It’s always wise to poll a variety of sources when planning a trip. Talk to people who live in Mexico or visit frequently.

Read the blogs and forums on websites such as tripadvisor.com.

And check out what other governments are telling their citizens. Canada offers advice on travel to Mexico at travel.gc.ca (click on “news and warnings”). Australia posts advisories at smartraveller.gov.au.

I’ve traveled somewhere in Mexico annually for the past five or six years, collecting memories of eating freshly caught fish on the beach; listening to band concerts in parks; and talking with locals as they wander through the markets, enjoying a Sunday afternoon with their families.

I’m confident you will experience the same.

Spanish at the Beach

spanish.about.com

What's your idea of the perfect vacation? For many people, it's spending days on the beach, listening to the waves pounding on the sand. And if you're a beach-lover, sooner or later you'll find yourself somewhere where Spanish is spoken. Before you head out, here is some vocabulary you can become acquainted with.

¡Buen viaje!
 
la arena — sand
la bahía — bay
el balnerario — spa, resort
el bañador — swimsuit, swimming trunks
el buceo, bucear — diving, to dive
el bungalow — bungalow
el bikini, el biquini — bikini
el bloque del sol, el bronceador — sunscreen, suntan lotion
el cayo — key (island)
el esnorquel, el esnorkel, buceo con tubo de respiración — snorkeling
la isla — island
el lago — lake
nadar — to swim
el océano — ocean
la ola — wave
la palapa — beachside building with grass roof
la piscina — swimming pool
la playa — beach
el puerto — port
la puesta de sol — sunset
la sombrilla — beach umbrella
el surf, hacer surf — surfing, to surf
el traje de baño — swimsuit
la vista al mar — sea or ocean view

Vocabulary notes

 

Hacer + sustantivo: It is fairly common in Spanish when importing words to use the construction hacer followed by a noun for the verb form. For example, Spanish has imported the word surf as the general word for "surfing." To make the verb form, use hacer surf, literally "to do surfing." Another common use of this construction can be found frequently on Web pages, where haga clic aquí is used for "click here."

Nadar: This verb is used in a number of idiomatic phrases. One of the colorful ones is nadar y guardar la ropa, literally "to swim and keep one's clothing," translated as "to have it both ways" or "to have one's cake and eat it too." Other common phrases are nadar entre dos aguas, "to sit on the fence," and nadar contra corriente, "to swim against the current."

Wave: When speaking of a wave in the ocean or other body of water, the word ola is used. But when speaking of a wave in hair or in the physics sense, the word onda is used. Thus a microwave oven is un horno de microondas. There is no specific verb for "to wave" as in waving a hand; common phrases are saludar con la mano for a simple wave of the hand or despedirse de alguién con la mano for waving goodbye.

Mexico Entry Requirements & Customs

frommers.com

Passports

See www.frommers.com/tips for help obtaining a passport.

Citizens from most countries are required to present a valid passport for entry to Mexico. Citizens from some countries will need a Mexican visa. As of March 1, 2010, all U.S. citizens, including children, have been required to present a valid passport or passport card for travel beyond the "border zone" into Mexico, with the "border zone" defined as an area within 20 to 30km (12-19 miles) of the United States.

All U.S. and Canadian citizens traveling by air or sea to Mexico are required to present a valid passport or other valid travel document to enter or reenter the United States except if returning from a closed-loop cruise. In addition, all travelers, including U.S. and Canadian citizens, attempting to enter the United States by land or sea must have a valid passport or other WHTI compliant document.

Other valid travel documents (known as WHTI-compliant documents) include the new Passport Card and SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST, and the U.S. Coast Guard Mariner Document. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty traveling on orders are exempt from the passport requirement. U.S. citizens may apply for the limited-use, wallet-size Passport Card, available for a cost of about $40. The card is valid only for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda. Beginning March 1, 2010, the Mexican immigration authorities began to accept the passport card for travel into Mexico by air. However, the card is not valid to board international flights in the U.S. or to return to the U.S. from abroad by air. This card is only available to U.S. citizens. For more details on application restrictions, see www.getyouhome.gov. There is also the new "Global Entry" program for frequent travelers, available at www.globalentry.gov.

From our perspective, it's easiest just to travel with a valid passport. Safeguard your passport in an inconspicuous, inaccessible place, like a money belt, and keep a copy of the critical pages with your passport number in a separate place. If you lose your passport, visit the nearest consulate of your native country as soon as possible for a replacement.

Passport Offices

Australia -- Australian Passport Information Service (tel. 131-232, or visit www.passports.gov.au).

Canada -- Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

Ireland -- Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.foreignaffairs.gov.ie).

New Zealand -- Passports Office, Department of Internal Affairs, 47 Boulcott St., Wellington, 6011 (tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand, or 04/474-8100; www.passports.govt.nz).

United Kingdom -- Visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), 89 Eccleston Sq., London, SW1V 1PN (tel. 0300/222-0000; www.ips.gov.uk).

United States -- To find your regional passport office, check the U.S. Department of State website (www.travel.state.gov/passport) or call the National Passport Information Center (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Visas

For detailed information regarding visas to Mexico, visit the National Immigration Institute at http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/usa.

American and Canadian tourists are not required to have a visa or a tourist card for stays of 72 hours or less within the border zone (20-30km/12-19 miles from the U.S. border). For travel to Mexico beyond the border zone, all travelers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S., among others, can get their visas upon arrival. Many other countries require a preapproved visa, although as of May 1, 2010, non-U.S. citizens with valid U.S. visas may enter Mexico with the U.S. visa, and do not have to obtain a Mexican visa. For the latest requirements, please check www.inm.gob.mx/index.php. Once in Mexico, all travelers must be in possession of a tourist card, also called Tourist Migration Form. This document is provided by airlines or by immigration authorities at the country's points of entry. Be careful not to lose this card, as you will be required to surrender it upon departure and you will be fined if you lose it.

Your tourist card is stamped on arrival. If traveling by bus or car, ensure that you obtain such a card at the immigration module located at the border and have it stamped by immigration authorities at the border. If you do not receive a stamped tourist card at the border, ensure that, when you arrive at your destination within Mexico, you immediately go to the closest National Institute of Immigration office, present your bus ticket, and request a tourist card. Travelers who fail to have their tourist card stamped may be fined, detained, or expelled from the country.

An immigration official will determine the number of days you can remain in Mexico. Do not assume that you will be granted the full 180 days. An extension of your stay can be requested for a fee at the National Institute of Immigration of the Ministry of the Interior or its local offices.

If you plan to enter Mexico by car, please read the vehicle's importation requirements.

Note on travel of minors: Mexican law requires that any non-Mexican citizen under the age of 18 departing Mexico without both parents must carry notarized written permission from the parent or guardian who is not traveling with the child to or from Mexico. This permission must include the name of the parent, the name of the child, the name of anyone traveling with the child, and the notarized signature(s) of the absent parent(s). The U.S. Department of State recommends that permission include travel dates, destinations, airlines, and a summary of the circumstances surrounding the travel. The child must be carrying the original letter (not a facsimile or scanned copy), and proof of the parent/child relationship (usually a birth certificate or court document) and an original custody decree, if applicable. Travelers can also contact the Mexican Embassy or closest Mexican Consulate for more current information.

Customs

Mexican Customs inspection has been streamlined. At most points of entry, tourists are requested to press a button in front of what looks like a traffic signal, which alternates on touch between red and green. Green light and you go through without inspection; red light and your luggage or car may be inspected. If you have an unusual amount of luggage or an oversized piece, you may be subject to inspection anyway. Passengers that arrive by air will be required to put their bags through an X-ray machine, and then move to the kiosk and push a button to determine whether their luggage will be selected for any further inspection.

What You Can Bring into Mexico -- When you enter Mexico, Customs officials will be tolerant if you are not carrying illegal drugs or firearms. Tourists are allowed to bring in their personal effects duty-free. A laptop computer, camera equipment, and sports equipment that could feasibly be used during your stay are also allowed. The underlying guideline is: Don't bring anything that looks as if it's meant to be resold in Mexico. Those entering Mexico by air or sea can bring in gifts worth a value of up to $300 duty-free, except alcohol or tobacco products. The website for Mexican Customs (Aduanas) is www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx.

Visitor Information- Mexico

frommers.com

The Mexico Tourism Board (tel. 800/44-MEXICO in the U.S., or 01-800/006-8839 or 078 from within Mexico; www.visitmexico.com) is an excellent source for general information; you can request brochures and get answers to the most common questions from the exceptionally well-trained, knowledgeable staff. You can also call the Cancún location at tel. 998/884-8073.

The Mexican Government Tourist Board's main office is in Mexico City (tel. 55/5278-4200). Satellite offices in the U.S. are in Chicago (tel. 312/228-0517), Houston (tel. 713/772-2581), Los Angeles (tel. 213/739-6336), Miami (tel. 786/621-2909), and New York (tel. 212/308-2110). In Canada, you may call the Toronto office at tel. 416/925-0704; and in the United Kingdom, offices are in London (tel. 020/7488-9392).

The Chiapas Tourism Board is at Blvd. Belisario Dominguez 950, CP29060 Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas (tel. 961/613-9396). The Quintana Roo Tourist Board is at Carr. a. Calderitas 622, CP77010 Chetumal, Quintana Roo (tel. 983/835-0860). The Tabasco Tourism Board is at Av. Los Rios s/n, Tabasco 2000, CP86035 Villahermosa, Tabasco (tel. 993/316-5134). The Yucatán Tourism Board is at Calle 59 No. 514, Centro, CP97000 Mérida, Yucatán (tel. 999/924-9389).

The Mexican Embassy in Canada is at 45 O'Connor St., Suite 1000, Ottawa, ON, K1P 1A4 (tel. 613/233-8988; fax 613/235-9123). Consulate offices are at 2055 rue Peel, Bureau 1000, Montreal, QC, H3A 1V4 (tel. 514/288-2502); Commerce Court West, 199 Bay St., Suite 4440, Toronto, ON, M5L 1E9 (tel. 416/368-2875); and 411-1177 W. Hastings St., 4th Floor, Vancouver, BC, V6E 2K3 (tel. 604/684-1859).

The Mexican Embassy (Consular Section) in the United Kingdom is at 16 Georges St., London, W1S1FD (tel. 020/7499-8586).

The Mexican Embassy in the United States is at 1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20006 (tel. 202/736-1600).

DHS Welcomes Launch of Mexico’s Trusted Traveler Program

dhs.gov

December 27, 2013

Alan Bersin

Assistant Secretary, Office of International Affairs

 

 

Last week, I was in Mexico City where I joined U.S. Ambassador Anthony Wayne and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Thomas Winkowski for the launch of Mexico’s new trusted traveler program—Programa Viajero Confiable. Mexico’s Tourism Under Secretary Jose Salvador Sanchez Estrada, Tax Commissioner Aristóteles Núñez Sánchez and National Immigration Institute Commissioner Ardelio Vargas presided over the event.

This launch is an important example of the continuing efforts of the U.S-Mexico 21st Century Border Management Initiative and the High Level Economic Dialogue to deepen engagement to facilitate legitimate trade and travel between our two countries.

Viajero Confiable is a trusted traveler program similar to CBP’s Global Entry.  These programs improve the ability for each of our countries to quickly process pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival at major airports. Since 2010, more than 40,000 Mexican citizens have taken the opportunity to enroll in CBP’s Global Entry, and now U.S. citizens will be able to enroll in Viajero Confiable, further enhancing travel and trade between our two countries, while maintaining the highest standards of security. In fact, at the conclusion of the ceremony, I was proud to become to the first American enrolled in Viajero Confiable.

The launching of Viajero Confiable provides the opportunity for U.S. citizens to expedite their international travel into Mexico and marks an important example of ongoing and unprecedented cooperation between our two countries in security and economic competitiveness matters.

Working in tandem, Global Entry and Viajero Confiable will break down barriers to cross-border travel, create new opportunities to increase tourism between our countries, and build a business-friendly environment that strengthens our nations’ economic competitiveness.

"FOREIGN COMMUNITY BASEBALL SERIES"

Hello to all ,don´t forget to be a part of the "FOREIGN COMMUNITY BASEBALL SERIES" , this 19, 20 and 21 of november at the venados de mazatlan stadium, with your oficcial ID you will get 3 x 1 tickets

areas: Central general $90 pesos x 3 tickets

             Laterales $45 pesos x 3 tickets

WE WILL COUNT WITH THE PRESENCE OF SECRETARY OF TOURISM DR. FRANCISCO CORDOVA ,LUIS RAMIREZ CONSUL OF U.S AND WENDY HARDOUIN CONSUL OF CANADA !!

NOTE:

-Starting tomorrow at 10 am you can buy your tickets!

-At the time to buy a ticket at the box office, it is not required that the 3 people go to the box office , only one person is ok , presenting official id (passport, license, green card)

-With one ticket ,will enter three persons (no matter if your companion is not foreign)

We look forward to seeing you!

Lic. Génesis Pineda Hernández

Residentes Extranjeros / Foreign Residents
Secretaría de Turismo del Estado de Sinaloa

Av. Del Mar No. 882
Fracc. Tellería
Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México.

Tel. (669) 915 6600  ext.153