El Paso Promoted As Safe Get-A-Way For Mexican Nationals

Dena Richardson/KFOX News Reporter

Posted: 8:05 pm MST December 9, 2010Updated: 9:35 pm MST December 9, 2010
EL PASO, Texas -- As a violent drug war is waged across the border, the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau is promoting El Paso as a safe get-a-way.

It launched the campaign in the state of Chihuahua, encouraging Mexican nationals to visit El Paso more frequently, and highlighting events in the safest large city in the U.S.

"We wanted Mexican nationals to feel like this is their community and a safe haven from the violence they're experiencing right now," said Bill Blaziek, general manager of the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Since the campaign started, Blaziek said hotel owners are reporting that more and more Mexican nationals are coming to the Sun City for the weekends.

"A lot of them come without reservations, just picking up on Friday afternoon, and coming to El Paso," said Blaziek. "And you can guess that they're going to be shopping and eating in restaurants they might already be familiar with, going to our shows and attractions."

Blaziek said the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau will also be publishing its online events calendar in Spanish.

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/26083837/detail.html

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Just what El Paso needs. Not. Makes me sick to my stomach.
For the last week or so our news has gone on and on about El Paso being the "safest city". I'm QUITE sure that the timing of these statements comes at a time when we're about to hold our annual Sun Bowl football event. Wouldn't want to convey to tourists that El Paso is sitting right next to a boiling cauldron of violence now would we? Wouldn't want to miss out on all those tourist dollars now would we? Who cares that it's total BS.