By Juan Pablo Sebastián
With less than a month left before handing over the leadership of Rosarito’s Committee on Tourism and Conventions (COTUCO), Silvia Dagnino Montaño presented a brief report on her activities and achievements, both as head of the department and as a councilor for the Tourism and Economic Development Commission.
She highlighted two initiatives with a direct impact on Rosarito’s tourism and economic development. One is the **Regulation of Accommodation for Digital Platforms**, aimed at regulating these services and ensuring the safety of those using digital applications for vacation rentals.
This initiative positioned Rosarito at the forefront nationally regarding the regulation of Airbnb activities, which are considered unfair competition by the organized hotel sector due to their tax-exempt status. Other municipalities in the country are even considering replicating this regulation and have sought advice from promoter Silvia Dagnino.
Currently, the initiative is in the phase of creating a registry of properties offered through digital platforms for rent, marking significant progress in regulating this activity.
As a councilor, she also promoted the creation of the **Regulation of Regulatory Improvement**, which includes the establishment of a single window to streamline procedures and assist taxpayers, including foreigners who may face language barriers or lack familiarity with the processes.
Although the single window has not yet been created, the regulation has already been approved and published in the official state newspaper of Baja California, leaving it to the incoming government to follow up on these initiatives.
“The idea is to make processes and procedures easier, so citizens don’t have to go from window to window, especially foreigners who might spend two or three days dealing with paperwork,” she added.
Dagnino will close her term as COTUCO director, having significantly promoted Rosarito with campaigns in both Southern California and Baja California, complemented by a schedule of tourism events such as the Baja Beach Fest and, for the first time, the Tianguis Turístico in 2025, an event that will promote Rosarito internationally.
During her last year in office, Silvia Dagnino was actively involved in tourism through her role on the Tourism Council. She pointed out that these achievements are reflected in the increase in hotel occupancy in recent months.
“Unlike previous years, hotel occupancy has been growing this year due to all the work we’ve done, the numerous events we’ve held—artistic, gastronomic, cultural, including the Baja Beach Fest—that have gained momentum, and our creativity in promoting them,” she said.
“I would love for someone to continue who genuinely wants to support Rosarito’s tourism development, who understands the real needs of the different sectors in Rosarito. One task I would like to leave for the next administration is to seek more budget for promotion,” she proposed.