Now is the time to invest in San Felipe

Source:  Programa Regional de Desarrollo Urbano.  Turistico Ecologico del Corredor Costero San Felipe-Puertecitos
1. BECAUSE OF ITS CHARACTERISTICS AND NATURAL BEAUTIES.
The Sea of Cortez is characterized by the 10,000 feet deep submarine canyons that nourish over 800 species of fish and a third of the world’s population of sea mammals (including eight varieties of whales).

The stark scrub-covered islands off the coast play host to a variety of migratory birds, some of which, such as the elegant Tern and Laser Storm Petrel, nest only here.

In San Felipe’s surroundings you can find:
The Valley of the Giants:  Natural Reserve of the thousands year old Cardon Cactus.  This area has become a major visitors attraction due to the selection of one of these giant specimens that was transported to Seville, Spain, during World Expo’92.  The area has also become a favorite spot for photographers worldwide as it is a superb background for photo sessions.

Konsag Island:   Konsag is plainly visible from the beach at any point around the bay appearing at first glance to be a sail.  It is reachable by boat in 45 minutes or so under normal conditions and it is a great place to watch sea lions, seals and colonies of sea birds.

Punta Estrella:   Punta Estrella has a breathtaking panoramic view beyond the meaning of the word as it encompasses the whole bay to the west and northwest and the Sea of Cortez to the east.

Puertecitos:   Ninety kilometers south of San Felipe is a settlement called Puertecitos (Little Port) where thermal waters bubble and soothe.  There is a small hotel, a gas station, a boat ramp and other services, including  telephones.

Artificial Reefs:   In March of 1991 the three levels of Government and the San Felipe Community organized a Program of Artificial Reefs to attract fish and provide better sports fishing, with the addition of more spawning grounds and of more natural production of biological resources.

San Felipe includes beautiful sandy beaches, warm and calm waters and is the entrance to one of the most important ecological sanctuaries in the world and ideal place to promote ecotourism.

II. BECAUSE OF ITS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND POTENTIAL MARKETS.

1.  Strategic Location -  San Felipe is situated  in the Northwestern region of Mexico on the Baja California Peninsula on the shores of the Sea of Cortez, 122 miles south of the US-Mexico Border.  A 4 way lane has been approved for widening.

85% of San Felipe’s Tourism comes from the USA and 80% of this comes from California.  Its national and foreign potential market is over 35 million people.

San Felipe offers attractive ecotourism due to its natural surroundings offering unique species of fish such as the totoaba (Sea Bass) and the natural reserve of the Valley of the Giants, Thousand year old cactuses among others.

2.  Golfers - The huge market of golf enthusiasts in California and Arizona makes San Felipe the perfect spot where  sand, sun, mountains and deserts meet with the Beautiful Sea of Cortez.

3.  Harbor -The marinas is an attractive solution to saturated pacific coast.

4.  Motor Homes - During winter months, more than 250,000 motor-home owners travel to the southwestern USA seekeing better climate.  San Felipe great climate offers a wonderful solution.

5.  Housing - San Felipe definitely offers a more economical approach with custom built homes from $75/sq. ft.

6.  Beach & Sun all year – San Felipe’s extended golden sandy beaches with 330 days of sunshine a year is indeed a draw.

III.  BECAUSE OF ITS INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT  

San Felipe with a population of more than 30,000 population with 1/3 Canadians and Americans, constitutes the largest and most important urban area and the base for economic development in the northwestern region of the Sea of Cortez.

San Felipe has:

1. An International Airport with expected approved expansion of the runways to accommodate commercial aircrafts soon.
2. A Pier with priorities in marina developments.
3. A Highway from the border with approved expansion to a 4 way lane to connect San Felipe to a potential market of 35 million travelers in the southwestern USA.
4. Electricity has sufficient power supply due to a direct connection to the thermoelectric plant in Rosarito.
5. Artificial reefs to improve its sport fishing activity in all variety of marine life.
6. A Sewer Treatment Plant that will allow supply of economical water for investors interested in golf construction.
7. A Technical School (Conalep in San Felipe)  that offers careers in Hotel Management, Restaurant Management, Organized and Fiscal Accounting.
8. State Legal Fund of 39,000 acres that ensures a clear and legal system of land ownership.
9. The Backing of a town that is aware of economical dependence on tourism.
10. The authorized Regional Program for Urban, Tourism and Ecological Development with the mission of motivating integral development in the northwestern region of the Sea of Cortez, by establishing the use of land according to vocational and natural resources.

Being that this program was elaborated by three levels of Government and the Private sector, it ensures obtaining the required government support.

The San Felipe 2000 program was created in order to continue the programs and decrees made by the three levels of government related to San Felipe, plus acting as a support for tourism investors interested in this region.

The benefits of the Program include:

1. Special rates in land tax and water services.
2. Approval of environment impact studies by way of a fast-track system.
3. Special attention to all municipal and state permits that are related to tourism developments.
4. A joint operation of San Felipe’s International Airport between Governments and Private sector in order to commercialize it.
5. A government coalition to attend to land title topics.
6. A state room tax that goes back to a tourism trust in order to promote San Felipe.
7. The federal, State and Municipal government interested in jointly supporting tourism related projects for San Felipe.

CONCLUSION:

It is a rare to find a place with so many attributes offering great investment security and tremendous potential.  With a unique natural beauty and ecosystem, a developed infrastructure to host investments, with tremendous governmental back up and support, San Felipe, no doubt, is on the verge of a new horizon.

FONATUR
(Fondo Nacional Para El Turismo)
The Mexican Government in participation with Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora and Sinaloa governments have decided to improve and transform the Sea of Cortez Region.

The “Nautical Route for the Sea of Cortez Region” aims to create the necessary infrastructure to enable safe and reliable access for the sea vessels via the following developments:

Twenty ports distributed every 120 nautical miles in average, each one offering basic services such as docking, fuel provisioning, radio communication, dry dock, minor repairs, and refuge.

Due to the remarkable natural beauty of the Sea of Cortez as well as the hundreds of species of the sea life that inhabit the area, it has earned “The Aquarium of the World” title, given by the famous oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau. The Sea of Cortez offers its visitors a landscape combined by sea, desert, mountains, oasis, sandy beaches and transparent water perfect to swimming, diving of sailing.

The region’s main market comes from Southwestern USA with some 1,650,000 registered sea craft and it’s calculated that over 52,000 of them could sail in the Sea of Cortez.  This potential market could reach 76,400 by next decade.

Fewer than 8,000 vessels sail the region currently (about 2% of the market), there are only 3,650 marina slips available, consequently there is unlimited potential for expansion.
FONATUR’S  goals for the Nautical Route are: 345,000 boat arrivals form the USA in 1999-2010, surpassing the 8,000 estimated arrivals in 1998, to 61,300 annual arrivals in 2010.

22,650 new marina slips during 1999-2010 period.