Diplomatic representatives based in Los Angeles toured the historic Rosarito Beach Hotel and CEART as part of an initiative to promote the city and strengthen international tourism ties.

Seeking to strengthen diplomatic cooperation and promote tourism, consuls representing 15 countries visited Playas de Rosarito over the weekend for a familiarization trip, commonly known as a Fam Trip.

The visit was coordinated by Rosarito’s Secretariat of Economic Development and Tourism, headed by Irán Leonardo Verdugo Contreras, with support from local businesses. The Rosarito Beach Hotel served as the main venue and host, while Sunio restaurant at Castillos del Mar hosted a welcome reception and gathering.

The diplomatic representatives are consuls based in Los Angeles, California, representing the following countries:

• Canada: Kamalpreet Khera, Consul General.
• Chile: Francisco Javier Leal Lisboa, Consul General.
• Colombia: Bernardo Alejandro Mahe Matamoros, Consul General.
• South Korea: Seoung-ho Cho, Consul General.
• Croatia: Renee Pea, Consul General.
• El Salvador: Alejandro José Letona Alvarado, Consul General.
• Spain: Gerardo José Fueyo Bros, Consul General.
• India: Srinivasa Kotehal Jayadevappa, Consul General.
• Guatemala: Patricia Nineth Santizo Estrada de Calderón, Consul General.
• Honduras: María Fernanda Rivera Fiallos, Consul General.
• Peru: Jaime Rafael Casafranca Aguilar, Consul General.
• Senegal: Mame Toucouleur Mbaye, Consul General.
• Switzerland: Franco Zimmerli, Consul General.
• Mexico: Carlos González Gutiérrez, Consul General.

Also attending were Jazmín Galván García, Mexico’s Consul for Business Tourism in Los Angeles, and Marcela Alejandra Rodríguez Corona, Mexico’s Consul for Tourism Promotion in Los Angeles.

The historical and cultural tour included a visit to the historic Rosarito Beach Hotel before continuing to the Centro Estatal de las Artes (CEART), where the representatives had an opportunity to explore Rosarito’s cultural offerings and their potential to support tourism promotion.

During the visit, guests toured the facilities and viewed the exhibitions currently on display. These included an exhibition by artist Benito Del Águila and another featuring stories and memories shared by women participating in the Miércoles de Bordado (Wednesday Embroidery) workshop.

Irán Leonardo Verdugo Contreras, Rosarito’s secretary of economic development and tourism, said the Fam Trip is part of a broader tourism promotion strategy aimed at strengthening relationships and encouraging travel through partnerships with diplomatic representatives from different countries.

The initiative also seeks to develop a working agenda to promote Rosarito and Baja California in the various international markets represented by consulates in Los Angeles.

Organizers also aim to establish cooperation mechanisms to promote Rosarito as a destination through the Foreign Residents Attention Office (FRAO) and countries with residents in Baja California.