Report: Expanding Mexican visitor permission could bring $181M to Arizona
Oct 5, 2015, 2:52 PM | Updated: 3:20 pm
PHOENIX — Expanding the travel area for prescreened Mexican travelers in Arizona could pump an additional $181 million into the state’s economy, a report said.
The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce said current regulations only allow prescreened travelers 75 miles into Arizona. Should the permissions be expanded, they would be allowed to visit the entire state.
The chamber estimated the move could account for total spending by Mexican travelers to jump to $1.3 billion annually.
“We are rebuilding ties with Mexico that have been strained for quite a long time,” James Garcia with the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce said. “Something like this could actually contribute to a kind of opening of doors and development of ties between Arizona and Mexico.”