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First Tourist Services Providers 1952 |
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 At the start of this year, we began noticing an increased flow of tourism visiting Vallarta. Sometimes we watched them roaming the streets in groups looking lost and disoriented.
The language barrier was a big issue. I watched many times tourists trying to start a conversation with natives using sign language. Very few local people knew English.
Being aware of the necessity to provide more services for the tourist, two local young men, Joaquin Cortes, nicknamed El Ejote (the Green Bean) and Salvador Gomez, El Pim Pom, went to Paraiso Hotel to offer their services. Señor Gustavo Fong Salazar persuaded the two men of offer boat trip tours. Although these men did not know the English language, they managed very well to communicate with the tourist.
Joaquin Cortes and Salvador Gomez recruited other local young men for the Tour business. In the beginning, the new employees joined the Company only because they were curious. Among the new group were Fernando Garcia, nicknamed El Voga, and Ignacio Diaz, known as The Messy Boy. The two men had studied English with the Holts. Don Isidoro Munguia, brother of the owner of Paraiso Hotel encouraged Fernando and Ignacio to join the tour efforts. I must mention that the Munguia Family generation is native of Vallarta and descendants of the Munguia Quijade Family. Isidoro lived in the United State for several years and was fluent in English. This proved to be a great skill and helped him find new routes towards the development of tourism in Vallarta. He was the first person to offer hunting, excursions and fishing tours for tourists. Vallarta was at this time still practically unexplored and the tourists enjoyed nature immensely.
The tourists liked our rustic houses with red roofs, the stone paved streets, our traditions, music and songs. Through the years, tourists have left Vallarta with unforgettable memories and they have alwayd come back. A lot of our visitors have settled in Vallarta living in rustic houses that they transformed into beautiful Mexican style homes. Some of the first tourist’s settlers have helped us to open our eyes and reevaluate our forgotten culture and treasures.
The life of the people in Vallarta changed drastically due to the increased interaction with the tourism. Finally, we came to the long desired exchange of ideas and communication.
Catalina Montes de Oca Aguilar
Autobiografia de Doña Catalina Montes de Oca Aguilar
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Note: The segments from the book "Puerto Vallarta en mis Recuerdos" -both versions- are published in PVMirror.com with the express authorization of Sra. Yolanda Contreras de Garduño, co-author of the work and owner of the copyrights thereto. Any reproduction thereof, partial or total, in any medium is prohibited.
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