Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz of Tijuana launched the Safe Visitor program, an initiative from the Office of the Public Prosecutor to ensure that national and international visitors experience a warm and responsible welcome from city officials.
Burgueño Ruiz stressed that through this initiative, residents and visitors will have direct tools to report misconduct, emphasizing that his administration will not tolerate any violations from public servants.
The mayor also underlined the importance of creating projects that promote transparency and accountability, particularly with the upcoming Tianguis Turístico. With Safe Visitor now in place, tourists arriving in Tijuana can feel confident in the protection that local authorities offer.
“I want to commend Public Prosecutor Teresita Balderas for her excellent work, and for taking this major step forward with Safe Visitor,” said Burgueño Ruiz. “You and your team have my full support, because safeguarding our citizens and visitors is our priority.”
He also noted the historic collaboration between the Public Prosecutor’s Office, City Hall, and other government agencies to prevent misconduct and protect visitors. Given that Tijuana is a daily destination for travelers from across the globe, this new platform will be a key tool to report complaints or abuses.
“If an official is reported with solid evidence of corruption, they’re out,” Burgueño Ruiz stated firmly. “We will not allow any acts of corruption or harassment. As public servants, we must set the standards.”
Public Prosecutor Teresita Balderas Beltrán affirmed that Safe Visitor is the result of several collaborative meetings and aims to provide tourists with certainty and security. The program will initially feature four units, each staffed with two supervisors who will patrol pedestrian areas.
“We want tourists to feel safe,” Balderas Beltrán said. “We are implementing kiosks and QR codes, displayed as stickers at participating establishments, so visitors can easily access the platform through their mobile devices. I am grateful to the Tourism Committee and the restaurant sector for collaborating with us to serve as liaisons with tourists. Ideally, we hope no reports will be necessary, but if they are, we want victims of abuse or extortion to have safe points of contact.”
She also thanked Mayor Ismael Burgueño and the local Department of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPCM) for their support, noting that police officers are receiving training in tourist assistance, and that Safe Visitor will strengthen existing efforts.
Carlos Robles, President of the Chamber of Commerce in Avenida Revolución, also shared his enthusiasm:
“I am very pleased with the steps this administration is taking in revitalizing our city’s main avenue, the birthplace of Tijuana’s commerce. This program fills a gap we had in protecting and building trust among visitors.”
Also in attendance were Karim Chalita Rodríguez, President of the Tijuana Tourism and Conventions Committee, and Julián Plascencia, representing Grupo Plascencia.
The event closed with Mayor Burgueño and his team placing a Safe Visitor sticker at the iconic Caesar’s Restaurant, one of the first establishments to join the program.
