Head of the Tourism Secretariat of Baja California Oscar Escobedo has considered Baja California and Tijuana in particular to be one of the most important niche markets due to the tourism industry demand and the opening of new businesses by foreign investors. This process is the result of actions propelled by the secretariat in order to improve the tourism offer in Baja California and make the region more competitive in the business sector.

New construction projects are in the works for 2016. One of them is a 142-room hotel with an investment of 270 million pesos by the “Marriot Fair Field Inn & Suits” hotel company. These actions demonstrate the trust investors have in the city of Tijuana.

The 3 main items that stand out in Tijuana for foreign investors when opening new businesses are the following:

• Industrial sector:

Tijuana is a city that exports products to many countries. Nationally, it has the highest number of privately-owned manufacturing businesses in Mexico. The main industries that stand out in the region are: textile, automotive and electronics.

• Geographic location:

The international border in the San Diego-Tijuana corridor is “the most travelled border in the world”. This is the result of a bi-national region where the flow of commerce and tourism between both regions is evidenced.

• Safety when opening new businesses:

A visa is necessary for any foreigner wishing to engage in business in Mexico. The purpose is for foreign investors to be able to stay under the government’s protection while complying with the Regulations set forth by the General Population Law.

Overall requirements are very straightforward:

1. Official Immigration Request Formalities form.
2. Copy and original of all the pages of the foreigner’s valid passport.
3. In case the interested party performs the paperwork through a legal representative, he should identify himself as such by a power of attorney in his favor issued by the foreigner, a copy of a valid official identification bearing a photograph and a signature by the legal representative.

For more information, visit the following website: “Immigration Formalities”.

Tijuana holds the third position in the country with the highest number of inhabitants and is one of the most populous and important cities in the state of Baja California. This turns it into an attractive city for foreign investors wishing to open businesses in the region.