If you or someone that you know (God forbid) ever have an accident on the beach, or if you lose track of your child, you will definitely be thankful that the Puerto Peñasco Tourist Assistance Unit (TAU) exists, and that the professional Agents are on the job. They literally do save lives as first responders and they have returned a good number of lost children to their parents. These services are invaluable to many visitors to our City, but that is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the plethora of helpful services and activities that they actually perform for visitors and locals in our tourist areas.

Basically, if you’re in a tourist area (or technically anywhere that our Agents are present) and you need something, they are here to help. Need directions? Talk to a TAU Agent. Flat tire and can’t figure out how to change it? TAU Agent. Stuck in the sand? Yep, you guessed it – TAU. How about some local history and interesting stories about Rocky Point, a good restaurant recommendation, or help communicating with someone in Spanish? Uh-Huh, TAU, TAU, TAU. Of course, they are also available for more urgent matters, such as offering help in reporting a crime or determining which government office is appropriate for what you may need. The TAU really is the jack of all trades Unit but please remember to always dial 911 or 066 in the case of an emergency.

As you can see, they do not have a punch list of items that they can and cannot help you with. If you need the assistance and they are able to provide it, consider it done. These guys are the tourist area super-heroes whose mission and actual job description is to assist tourists in any way possible.

To make things even better, the Mayor, in his ultimate wisdom, created the Puerto Peñasco Tourist Assistance Unit Advisory Committee (that’s a mouthful) to allow us to work as liaison between the public and the TAU as well as to offer advice, feedback, and suggestions to the Unit regarding how to better serve the community and the tourism sector. We have worked very well together and I truly feel that the Unit and our committee are making a very positive impact on this city.

Actually, in order to become “official” and to better serve in a legal capacity, our committee will soon be registered as an official Civil Association recognized by the City, State, and Federal Governments. We will continue working as liaison for the TAU but we will also expand our services to work directly with the City of Puerto Peñasco Municipal Government, the Local Director of Tourism, and we will help with the overall promotion and assistance of tourism in Rocky Point. As part of the change, we will very likely shorten our name to “Puerto Peñasco Tourism Committee AC”. Forming the legal entity in Mexico will give us a more prominent and official status, and will also allow us to accept tax-deductible donations in order to help and promote the TAU and all aspects of local tourism.

Already, each month, we get requests from tourists, and potential tourists with questions in a wide variety of subjects. Recently, one of our committee members posted an experience on Facebook regarding the TAU and this seemed like a good time and place to share it.

Also, you may want to make a note of the contact information for the TAU and for our committee located at the end of this story. Finally, please say “Hello” and “Thank You” to our Agents when you see them out and about doing their job by helping people.

June 25 at 3:50pm Puerto Peñasco

Well this day had an interesting beginning here at the office…A gentleman (visiting from Canada) who is staying here at the Sonoran Sea Resort came into the office and was pretty upset and looking for help to print out a map…He told me that his (unattended) iPhone had been stolen off the beach yesterday…When he came into the office he had his MacBook and by using the tracking app of his iPhone he showed me exactly where his iPhone was located and he wanted to print out the map so he could read the street names…

Seeing how I’m not too technically savvy when it comes to printers and stuff, I asked if I could offer him another option…I told him that I was on the Puerto Peñasco Tourist Assistance Unit Advisory Committee and that it would probably be a better idea if he went to their office and asked for their assistance, rather than trying to track down and recover his phone by himself…I gave him one of my business cards and directions to the Auxiliar Turistico Office which is located in the Northwest corner of the Convention Center just a short distance from the Sonoran Sea…

So about an hour later I see this gentleman return to the front desk and I overheard him saying “This Guy Carlos was awesome, he got my phone back”…He said that when he arrived at the Auxiliar Turístico Office and told them his story, Carlos the Auxiliar Turistico agent immediately hopped on his quad and said follow me and off they went…The rest is history, just another story with a Happy Ending…Thanks Auxiliar Turistico…

Just a word or two of precaution, do not leave your valuables unattended while you’re at the beach or anywhere as a matter of fact…You’re just inviting a thief and it could happen anywhere…”

TAU Offices:

Convention Center, NW Corner

Malecon, near entrance to The Point Restaurant

Phone: 001-52-638-382-8413

Emergency: 066 or 911

TAU Advisory Committee:

Phone: 602-774-1777

Email: touristassistancerockypoint@gmail.com

Website (coming soon): http://www.touristassistancerockypoint.org/

Facebook: Puerto Peñasco Tourist Assistance Unit Advisory Committee

This article is brought to you by the Sonoran Resorts Sales Team, www.sonoranresorts.mx, Jim Ringquist, Director of Sales and Marketing.