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<BACK
Spinning
Fear
Unbalanced reporting of crime in Baja impacts popular
cycling event
San Diego, March 25 - The 29th Anniversary Rosarito
Ensenada 50 Mile
Fun Bicycle Ride will take place on April 19. And while
a fearful few
are still avoiding Baja due to negative media reports on
safety,
security surrounding the event is actually at an
all-time high.
"Security for tourists in Baja has dramatically
increased and we're
seeing positive results," said Gary Foster of
Bicycling West, a San
Diego sports marketing company that promotes large-scale
participatory
events in Baja California. "Rosarito Beach hosted
150,000 visitors for
spring break and there were no crimes reported against
tourists."
Foster attributes recent decreases in Baja tourism to
not only a weak
U.S. dollar, but also a fearful public that has been
misled by the
media. "News is a product, and fear sells. Violence
anywhere is
tragic, but the tragedy here has been compounded by
unbalanced media
coverage. Crime rates in Tijuana are no worse than Los
Angeles, yet
the headlines have focused on Baja."
"The truth is there's a lot more security now and
crime has dropped
off," said Foster. "The state secretary of
tourism has implemented
security along the road between the San Ysidro border
crossing and the
beginning of the toll road in Tijuana. Federal Police
have increased
patrols on the toll road between Tijuana and Ensenada,
and so have the
federal Angeles Verdes tourist police. State police are
posted at
exits, on-ramps and toll plazas, and the city of
Rosarito Beach
launched a new tourist police force."
"We're impressed by Mexico's efforts, and we're
pleased to see that
it's working," concluded Foster. "We're
looking forward to a great
season of events." The Rosarito Ensenada bike ride
is semi-annual and
will take place on April 19 and September 27 in 2008.
The Rosarito Ensenada events begin at 10:00 a.m. in
front of the
Rosarito Beach Hotel. The course is 50 miles of paved
highway along
the Pacific Coast and inland through rural countryside
from Rosarito
Beach to Ensenada. Registration is open to the public
and available
online for $35 and at the event for $40. Round-trip
transportation is
available from San Diego to the event. Maps and detailed
information
is available on event's official website at www.rosaritoensenada.com. |
