“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
In the last few days, there has been a 60 percent drop in the arrival of the U.S. citizens at the Tamaulipas border.
What happened with the four U.S. citizens in the last few days in Matamoros has had a strong impact on medical tourism and could also jeopardize the influx of the U.S. citizens during the Easter holiday period, according to Cristian Eduardo Pérez Cosío.
The legal director of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce (Fecanaco), proposed that in addition to the arrival of military elements, a strategy should be implemented to recover the image that is being lost, taking into account that security issues affect the economy.
“Medical tourism is strong in Matamoros, Nuevo Progreso (Rio Bravo), Reynosa, even Nuevo Laredo, because many Americans come for cosmetic surgery and plastic surgeons; it is an economic potential from which pharmacies also live, because medicines are cheaper than in the United States”, he stated.
Beyond what happened in Matamoros on March 3, these are issues that must be reversed, because after the events in which two Americans and a civilian lost their lives due to a stray bullet, a 60 percent drop in the influx of American citizens was noticed.
Perez Cosio cited that last weekend, night spots such as restaurants that previously looked full were now empty.
He indicated that the security strategy must be in accordance with the conditions of the northern border municipalities, considering that even with the unfortunate events of last Friday, the tourists who come to receive medical attention will not stop.
Plastic and aesthetic surgeons have a lot of work to do, as it is a strong industry that is affected by events of this nature.
He said that in spite of the incidents, the Americans will continue to come because they save up to 75 percent in the cost of such surgeries at the border, compared to what they pay in the U.S. clinics.