Nonetheless, the Mexican government says, the number of foreign visitors to the country grew 2.1 percent between January and May, compared with the same period in 2010. Of roughly 22 million international visitors annually, 60 percent are from the United States, and Mexican officials would like to keep it that way. On a recent U.S. public relations swing, Mexican Tourism Secretary Gloria Guevara sat down with Travel’s Nancy Trejos to talk about why Americans should keep Mexico on their favorite destinations list. Excerpts:

The challenge that we’re facing is that communications are very general. They are not very specific and they create confusion. You cannot have an entire warning for a complete state. Yes, we acknowledge there are some issues in some pockets, in some specific locations. To give you an example, Mexico has 2,500 counties. Eighty of those have issues. So does that mean that the entire country has issues? Of course not. Eighty of 2,500 is less than 5 percent. Ninety percent of Americans go to six destinations. The tourist destinations are very far from where we have these issues. What’s affecting the number of travelers to Mexico is the [U.S.] economy. The number of Americans traveling outside of the country has been reduced. That’s impacting everyone.

What is your message to Americans who worry about traveling to Mexico?
For us in Mexico, when we talk about the U.S., we don’t say the U.S., we say Orlando, L.A., Washington. If something happened last week, if there was a shooting in East L.A., does that mean you can’t go to Washington? Of course not.

Do you recommend that American travelers take precautions when in Mexico?
The only thing that I would tell them is to get a map. Know where you’re going and avoid the hot spots. That’s it. And the hot spots, most are in some of the areas of the border.

Aside from Cancun and Puerto Vallarta and other well-traveled areas, where else should Americans consider visiting?

Huatulco, Oaxaca, if they like more culture. Campeche; we are going to promote it because of the Maya world. The Maya culture has been around for more than 5,000 years. Dec. 21, 2012, is the end of the [Mayan] calendar. According to the Maya, a new era is going to begin. We have five states [Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Chiapas, Campeche and Tabasco] in the south of the country that have unique places to visit. There are thousands of archaeological sites.

Why choose Mexico over, let’s say, Costa Rica? We have greater value for your money. When you combine what Mexico has, no one else can offer the same. In Mexico, you can stay at a great property. We have 14 AAA five-diamond hotels. In Mexico, you have great locations, great infrastructure, great food, great service, and you can do activities you can’t find elsewhere and enjoy a cultural experience. Combine that with outstanding hospitality that no one can beat.

Building on the extraordinary response and attendance from Cruise World 2010, the Home Based Agent Show and LeisureWorld 2010, this event is sure to deliver an incredible experience for attendees and exhibitors alike.

Co-located with The Home Based Agent Show on February 15-17, 2011 these two spectacular travel industry events will take place concurrently at the incredible Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Weekly executives and travel agents in interactive dialogue.
* Explore tradeshow booths, supplier training sessions and concurrent seminars to build relationships and connect face-to-face with more than 200 domestic and international suppliers.
* Receive accredited training and certifications.
* Attend and qualify to receive fabulous prize giveaways.

Exhibitors - exhibits-entrance-crowd250pngThis blockbuster event gives suppliers a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face with ideal customers and prospects. Over 1,300 leading travel agents will be attending the show to learn about offers such as yours.

By taking advantage of this opportunity to become an exhibitor, you will receive the following benefits:

* Direct, face-to-face access to qualified decision makers
* All-inclusive booth packages
* Company listing in the official show guide and website.
* Access to a broad menu of additional Sponsorships and Media Products that drive traffic and deliver ROI

The cultural differences intimidate many Americans. We compare other countries with the US. Both countries have so much to offer and so much to hate. Getting past the mindset that things must be what we are accustomed to, is the most difficult and divisive idea that we have to get past. Of course, the individual's opinion of what the experience will be will be. On the whole, the people are friendly, helpful, ingenius, happy and fun. These are people that continually do without and yet, still smile. They celebrate life. It is not the US and that constant reminder, keeps me under its intoxicating spell.

The weather on the beaches is absolutely beautiful. If you love winter sports, this is not the place for you. If you enjoy parking on a beach chair, under a striped umbrella, being hypnotized by the waves, with relaxation on your mind, and minimal clothes, this is it. The water offers endless opportunities: snorkeling, boogie boarding, diving, fishing, boating, shell collecting and people watching. Around every corner is a new delight. We happened to witness a female sea turtle laying her eggs, tiredly trudging back to the water. We were lucky enough to see whales. We witnessed sand rays' mating dance, one jumping up 2 or 3 feet in the air and slapping back to the water and the next one imitating. Wow, that is an experience I won't get at Howard Johnson's.

There are good and bad about the States and about Mexico. I love the lack of continual rules, the low prices, the beauty, the amazing people and the adventure of culture. I certainly know where I'll be this winter.

While visiting Hermosillo there are a number of sites and activities that you can participate in. Baseball is very popular in the city as it is within other northern Mexican cities and there is a professional team here called the Naranjeros. This team plays in the Pacific Coast League and you can watch a live game if you go to the Hector Espino Stadium where they play.

There are number of other tourist attractions in Hermosillo including the Museum of Sonora. This is museum is housed inside of a former penitentiary built in the late 19th century and visitors can view the underground cells that housed former inmates. However, this museum does include a number of exhibits on the history of the state.

If you are looking for something more entertaining then you can visit the "La Sauceda" amusement park which is one of the most visited attractions in the city. This park has something for both adults and children including swimming pools, go-karts, mini-golf and many rides. There is also a childrens museum inside of the park with various games and exhibits.

The city features numerous restaurants, bars, and cafes where you can sample popular food from the area including carne asada, tacos, and empanadas. There are also hotels all over the city to accommodate any budget and some of the hotels have a full suite and buffet included.

Travel is very easy around the city with numerous taxis and buses and most of the people in the tourist areas can speak English to help you have a great visit to the area.

This development has had a great impact on the company's number of advertisers and users, who are currently being offered a more flexible and interactive platform of communications, which is always connected to the current Hispanic Market of the U.S. "Our new slogan, Aqui lo encuentras, definitely reflects the true spirit of Seccion Amarilla and we hope that it reaches the objective of serving us as a means of easy and direct recall," ended Benjamin Podoswa.

Thus, with the objective of reinforcing its leadership position in the advertising world and its presence in the growing Hispanic community of the U.S., Seccion Amarilla introduces its new slogan. This new slogan will serve as a call to action for the launching of a new platform the company is preparing in order to benefit its client and user market during the second half of 2010.

About Seccion Amarilla USA - Seccion Amarilla is an international brand with over 100 years of experience in the Spanish Yellow Pages Industry. In 2006, Seccion Amarilla launched Seccion Amarilla USA ("SAUSA"). Since its entrance into the U.S. market, SAUSA has realized sustainable growth and success and has become a Spanish Yellow Pages market leader by providing effective and targeted advertising products and services to businesses of all types and sizes.

Today, Seccion Amarilla offers a full range of multimedia products through its print, Internet and mobile media platforms, which allow its advertisers a number of direct methods to connect with the Hispanic community by building relationships and increasing engagement with the Hispanic consumer.

Consumer Reports hotel ratings are broken into five categories: Fanciest, Luxury, Upscale, Moderate and Budget. Travelers' expectations differ by category, but some moderate hotels pleased readers almost as much as the epitome of ritz, the Ritz-Carlton. Even the budget category had one winner: Microtel Inn & Suites which topped its category again. Microtel was top of its class in CR's last hotel survey.

The Consumer Reports National Research Center surveyed 27,506 subscribers who spent a collective 124,000 nights at 48 chains across all five categories from January 2008 to April 2009. Here's what Consumer Reports found:

It pays to haggle. Only 35 percent of respondents tried to negotiate for a better deal, but those who did were rewarded with a lower rate or room upgrade 80 percent of the time. That's a slightly higher success rate than readers experienced in Consumer Reports 2006 survey. Those who called ahead to do their haggling were even more successful than those who tried to negotiate in person.

Booking method doesn't affect satisfaction. There was no correlation between respondents' happiness with their hotel stay and how they booked it. Satisfaction was similar whether they called the hotel directly, used the hotel's Web site, phoned the chain's toll-free number, used an independent travel site, or walked in off the street without a reservation.

Suites have advantages. For approximately the same price as a regular room, the lodgings in an all-suite hotel give a more spacious, homey feeling. Respondents singled out Homewood Suites and Drury Inn & Suites as well-maintained and exceptional values. Suite hotels come in different price levels, and suites are sometimes an option at standard chains.

Some beds are better than others. Many high-end chains boast about their plush mattresses and lush linens. Survey respondents cited the Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance and Westin as having the best beds and bedding. Conversely, at least 11 percent of guests (three times the average) at Howard Johnson, Travelodge, and Americas Best Value Inn complained that their beds were so uncomfortable that they couldn't get a good night's sleep.

Most "bargain" hotels aren't. Respondents who stayed at a budget hotel said they were drawn by cheap rates. But except for Microtel, budget hotels continue to earn the lowest scores for value, upkeep, and ease of checking in and out. They also generate a disproportionate percentage of complaints about bedding, lighting, decor, and heating and air conditioning. Travelodge, Econo Lodge, and the misnamed Americas Best Value Inn, a newcomer to CR's Ratings, were consistently among the most trouble-prone.

Tips to Find a Great Rate:
Changing supply and demand makes prices a moving target, so it still takes a savvy shopper to unearth the best bargains. Consumer Reports June issue offers 10 tips to finding a better hotel rate and saving some cash. Here are a few of the highlights:

Wing it. Respondents who appeared unannounced paid about $20 less per night for comparable accommodations, on average, than those who made a reservation ahead of time. Travelers who really want to play "chicken," ask the desk clerk for the lowest possible rate, then say you're taking your business elsewhere. If occupancy is exceptionally low, the clerk might invoke the "fade" rate, an option coming into play more often. It's the bare minimum the chain will accept for a room, as an alternative to leaving it unoccupied. If you're willing to roll the dice and show up late in the day without a reservation, you could hit the jackpot-or end up sleeping in your car.

Become a fan. More chains are becoming involved in social-networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Fans or followers of a chain will be notified of upcoming promotions and specials as soon as they're available.

Consider a discount-travel Web site. Our survey showed that discount site such as Priceline and Hotwire were the only surefire way to consistently reap substantially lower room rates. Respondents who reserved a room at an upscale hotel through a discounter paid an average daily rate of $80. Those who phoned the hotel or booked online by other means paid about $120 for a comparable room. But discount Web sites aren't ideal for everyone because the identity of your hotel doesn't become known until after you complete a nonrefundable transaction.

Lock in a rate. If you're traveling to a popular destination at a peak time, call around and surf the Internet for price quotes from three to five hotels long before your trip. Then lock in the lowest refundable rate. As your departure date nears, try another sweep. If you find something better, cancel your original reservation in time to avoid a penalty.

Look for specials. Given the poor economy hotel Web sites are loaded with limited-time offers. Among those that caught CR's eye: a $100 Amazon.com gift card for every two nights' stay at a Westin; an additional night at half-price for every night you stay at a Sheraton Four Points; and a 15 percent discount when you book at least eight days in advance at Super 8.

For complete Ratings for upkeep, service comfort in value on all 48 chains, money saving advice and tips to avoid hotel fees and traps, visit http://www.consumerreportsenespanol.org or check out a copy of the June issue of Consumer Reports on newsstands May 4, 2010.

JUNE 2010
Consumers Union 2010. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for commercial or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports(R) is published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, we test, inform, and protect. To maintain our independence and impartiality, Consumers Union accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. Consumers Union's income is solely derived from the sale of Consumer Reports(R), its other publications and services, fees, noncommercial contributions and grants. Consumers Union's publications and services receive no commercial support.

Este gran crecimiento en población se debe a la llegada de la industria maquiladora décadas antes de que se aprobara el TLCAN, inmigración proveniente principalmente de la región del Pacífico Mexicano. Las maquiladoras cubren el 55% del producto local bruto, y recientemente el sector de servicios ha crecido considerablemente.

Nogales se convirtió oficialmente en municipalidad el 11 de julio de 1884 al ser publicada la Ley No 29, firmada por el gobernador de Sonora, Luis Emeterio Torres, que la estableció. Nogales fue declarada ciudad el 1 de enero de 1920.