Puerto Vallarta Reopens to Tourism During the Pandemic as a “Safe” Destination
Americans Hillary and Zoie tell us what it’s like flying from the US and vacationing in Vallarta during the pandemic and the precautions businesses are taking to protect the traveler
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Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico.
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That music you were just listening to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta’s Oldest Restaurant on the famous Los Muertos Beach, and The El Dorado Restaurant and Beach Club right next door so you can enjoy that fantastic view of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors, or during the day in its grand splendor for breakfast, lunch or dinner, seated with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so, Puerto Vallarta my friends.
Last time we talked I promised you I would have Hillary and Zoie on to talk about visiting Puerto Vallarta as tourists during the age of covid. Yes that’s right. They were there in June and they are going to tell us about vacationing in Puerto Vallarta as Mexico reopens to tourism during the pandemic. And for those of you who follow the show, listener Hillary has wanted to interview me to find out some inside info…and we will have that interview after we talk with our two guests, but before we get to that, let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta, the 18th of July 2020.
Summer Rain and Heat in Vallarta
The rain and heat and humidity continue as Angela the weather station lady reports 4.72 inches for July and 24.52 inches so far for the year. Other measurements may vary but this station is located near Que Pasa Restaurant in Emiliano Zapata. Thanks Angela!
Face Masks Mandatory in Jalisco Outdoors
In Jalisco the mandatory mask directive has been sent out. Masks to be worn outdoors, on public transportation and get this, in your own car if there are more than one person in the vehicle. There are signs posted on the Malecon also directing people to mask up at all times. So watch out and wear a mask.
And the new normal will be coming to the beaches here in Vallarta, from Mexico News Daily….
‘New normal’ coming to Mexico’s beaches with new rules
4-meter social distancing will be required on the beach and in the water
Published on Wednesday, July 15, 2020
A “new normal” is coming soon to Mexico’s beaches courtesy of the coronavirus pandemic.
By next week at the latest, federal authorities will publish new rules on the use of beaches aimed at reducing the risk of the coronavirus spreading among people enjoying the sand and surf along Mexico’s extensive coastline.
State and municipal governments will be required to enforce the rules for the foreseeable future regardless of the local coronavirus situation.
The director of Zofematac, the federal office of maritime land zones and coastal environments, told the newspaper Milenio that a new beach use agreement will be published shortly.
Rodrigo Hernández Aguilar said the emphasis will be on social distancing among beachgoers – people shouldn’t come within four meters of others while on the sand or in the water.
He said people will not be required to wear face masks while they’re on the sand or in the water but they will have to wear them at beach entry points and in any common areas such as public washrooms.
“The use of face masks is mandated to arrive at the beach because there could be crowds when you’re entering the beach, you might be leaving a hotel where there are people or traveling on public transit. That’s why you use [a face mask] when you arrive and go onto the beach and also when you leave. Once you’re on the beach you don’t need to use it,” Hernández said.
He said that authorities decided not to make face masks mandatory on beaches because there is scientific evidence that salty water, sunlight and high temperatures “are favorable for the inactivation of pathogenic agents.”
The new beach rules will establish a limit of 40 people per 1,000 square meters of beach space. On beaches that are part of hotel precincts, staff will be required to disinfect hammocks and deck chairs after beachgoers vacate them, Hernández said.
Beachgoers will be required to place towels over the latter before they use them, he added.
Hernández said that all group recreational and sporting activities will be banned on beaches and that only 15 people will be allowed in the water at the same time. People should visit the beach on their own, with their partner or in small family units, not large groups, he said.
The Zofematac chief also said that under the new agreement, municipal governments will be able to take bookings from people who wish to go to the beach. Hernández added that beachgoers who flout the new regulations could be fined or even arrested.
To draw up the new rules, authorities looked at what their counterparts in four European countries have done, he said.
“We gave ourselves the task of studying what France, Spain, Italy and Greece did, which were the most advanced [countries] … in separating [people on] beaches.”
Source: Milenio (sp)
And I have a link to that article in the shownotes.
Now here’s a story that’s different… From Mexico News Daily…
Municipal Official Says Virus is BS, Urges Citizens to go Out and Have Fun
Municipal official says virus is BS, urges citizens to go out and have fun
Huejutla is sixth highest municipality in Hidalgo for corona virus deaths
Published on Thursday, July 16, 2020
Despite the fact that the municipality of Huejutla de Reyes, Hidalgo, is No. 6 in the state for coronavirus deaths, the municipality’s director of regulations, Juventino Molinos Cerecedo, says the virus is “pure bullshit” and encouraged residents to go out and “have fun.”
Molinos made the expletive-laden comments in a short video posted to social media on Wednesday where he introduces himself as “Doctor Juventino,” filming himself while driving with a mask around his neck.
As of Thursday morning, the video had been viewed more than 14,000 times. Molinos removed the footage from his Facebook page later on Wednesday but his comments had already gone viral.
Some were calling for Molinos to be fired while others viewed the pandemic as a government invention.
Molinos made the comments despite the fact that 30 people in the municipality have died from the disease and 237 confirmed cases have been diagnosed.
Among the dead is Juan José Redondo Márquez, leader of a bar owners’ association and a Covid-denier who passed away in June of respiratory failure caused by Covid-19.
Up until the day before his death, Redondo had assured fellow bar owners that the disease did not exist and pressured municipal authorities, including Molinos, to allow the reopening of bars and cantinas.
Media reports say that when his condition worsened, family members called the Red Cross for help, but Redondo refused to be transported to the hospital via ambulance in a capsule that protects paramedics from coronavirus. The ambulance left and Redondo died shortly after.
As of Wednesday, Hidalgo had 5,035 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and had seen 822 deaths.
Source: La Jornada (sp), Criterio Hidalgo (sp)
Okay and with that lovely and eye opening report, let’s talk about reactivation of Tourism in Puerto Vallarta. First……
Reactivation of Tourism in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Let’s start with this article from Vallarta Daily News…
Mexico’s Baja and Puerto Vallarta to reopen: Here’s what you need to know
Katherine Fan
Jul 6, 2020
What to expect
The U.S.-Mexico land and sea border remains closed for non-essential travel through July 21. However, travelers are allowed to enter by air, provided they meet travel requirements.
The city of Puerto Vallarta in the Mexican state of Jalisco has been under total quarantine since early March. Since then, Puerto Vallarta has undergone a multi-phase reopening process that adhered to local and international protocols.
The Mexican state of Baja California Sur is home to several tourist destinations including Cabo San Lucas, capital city La Paz, and Loreto.
Puerto Vallarta is implementing strict sanitation and hygiene protocols throughout the city, including in hotels, public transportation, and public spaces.
Restaurants must keep all patrons and their tables at a safe physical distance, while establishments must place disinfectant mats at entrances. There will also be antibacterial hand sanitizer distributed throughout public spaces. Travelers should also anticipate temperature checks from local officials.
The Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) implemented rigorous safety protocols that earned the airport a “Safe Travels” stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). (The state of Jalisco also earned a separate “Safe Travels” stamp from the WTTC.)
PVR airport employees are practicing social distancing, and airport entrances and exits are loaded with disinfectant mats, while thermal cameras within the immigration zone are tracking travelers for elevated temperatures.
All residents and visitors are asked to maintain social distancing practices when outdoors, and wear face masks when social distancing is not possible. Stores, public roads, and businesses are allowed to operate at 50 percent of capacity. Select businesses that do not generate crowds and adhere to social distancing guidelines are permitted to open.
Puerto Vallarta’s Malecon waterfront promenade is still undergoing phased reopening, with limited access to restaurants and shops. Bars remain closed for the time being.
Will The Mayor of Puerto Vallarta Hit The Covid Emergency Button?
Now the governor and the mayor have been discussing the possibility of hitting the Emergency Button and stopping the progress of the reopening due to the spread of the virus, but have decided that they would set limits and hope hospital space and cases of the rona don’t go over a set limit.
The emergency protocol would be implemented if coronavirus cases continued to increase or the levels of hospital occupation intended for the care of patients with Covid-19 reaches 50% and the cases of the virus exceed 400 per 100,000 population. Activation would stop all economic activities for 14 days, which would generate a significant impact on the community, hence the call to the population to strengthen preventive protocols for health care.
Thus far, as of the Sunday the 11th of July, there were 619 hospital beds still available for Covid Patients, and just 170 cases per 100,000 as opposed to the 400 cases per 100,000. So far, Vallarta seems to be doing well. But time will tell. I hope for the sake of our Mexican friends, this works out. They need to work.
Hillary and Zoie Vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico During the Global Pandemic
Now as I said a couple of weeks ago, I was going to bring on two Americans who, while on furlough from their jobs in the US, decided to go to Puerto Vallarta to vacation. Hillary and Zoie, listeners and contributors to the show said yes, and I sent them a microphone. Hillary and Zoie were kind enough to come on the show to tell all of us what it’s like, vacationing in Puerto Vallarta during the pandemic.
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So the building that Hillary was talking about at the end of Lazaro Cardenas park is for sale. And if you want to buy it, it will cost you a cool 9.5 million dollars. I bet you can bargain that down a bit. Actually, I contacted the real estate broker who has the property listed and I will be talking with him, if the place is still available that is, when I get to Puerto Vallarta next month. So, thanks for the question Hillary, and we’ll see how much information we can get from the broker. Anyone get a PPP loan we can buy this building with? Just asking….
Now I will also be heading to Paradise next month, as long as the governors of California and Jalisco say it’s okay. I plan to be there from the 8th till the 19th of August. The airlines changed the date of the return flight for me so I got an extra day. If anyone needs me to mule something down, reach out to me at pvtravelshow@gmail.com, or send me a friend request on the Facebags and if it’s legal and not too big, I’ll bring it. Also, if you have any suggestions for interviews while I’m down, let me know. I sterilize the microphone each time I hand it to a new person. That’s my protocol.
Okay, that should do it for this episode of The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show.
Next week, stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more. Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.
And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way
of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. Don’t forget his maps, his DIY tours and his revitalized Happy Hour Board. I have links to all of those in the show notes.
And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and give me a good review on iTunes if you would. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven’t been to my website, you really need to have a look there. I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven’t already all-right? All right.
Thank you Hillary and Zoie! Thank you for being so kind. Thank you for coming on the show and giving us an opportunity to actually see what’s happening on the ground in paradise, and for showing us that the folks in Vallarta really do care for our safety, and we can enjoy paradise again, as long as we follow the rules of the road.
And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos!
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