More staff for Customs Department at the Vallarta-Nayarit international airport

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  • The authorities and business owners have reached an agreement with the AGA to help streamline the process by adding a workforce of 14 public servants, which will speed up the flow of tourists to the region.

Among other agreements, the General Customs Administration (AGA) committed to adding a workforce of 14 public servants to the Customs Department at the Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (that serves Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit) as of November 29, which will streamline the flow of at least 5 million tourists a year.

With this measure, the AGA responds to requests from Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay commercial associations to provide a solution to the pressing problems in the local airport’s Customs Department, according to Marc Murphy, managing director of the Banderas Bay Hotel and Motel Association and the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).

A meeting held on Monday in Mexico City was led by General Customs Administrator Ricardo Ahued Bardahuil, Central Administrator of Customs Operations Juan Ramón Alcalá Pignol, and Central Administrator of Customs Equipment and Infrastructure Oliver Aguilar Yunes. Also present were Jean Paul Pelletier, president of the Association of Progressive Entrepreneurs; Susana Rodríguez Mejía, tourism director for the Coast of Jalisco; Saúl Ernesto Sanabria Gibert, administrator of the Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport; Javier Aranda Pedrero, managing director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust (Fidetur); and Marc Murphy.

The points discussed at the meeting included a request to increase the number of customs personnel in order to avoid saturation, especially on the weekends; the installation of the 21st Century Customs model in the Customs Department; and the improvement of customs services in general to provide the tourist with a better experience, thereby amplifying the destination’s prestige for providing optimal service and attention.

In addition to increasing the number of customs agents, the agreements with the General Customs Administration include the following commitments:

  1. The acquisition of new RNI equipment for baggage screening, thereby changing the current traffic light system, significantly reducing wait times.
  1. Verification via the operation center that customs services are agile and efficient in complying with applicable policies and regulations.
  1. A review of the team’s ability to provide quick solutions with their suppliers while keeping the associations informed.

These agreements are in addition to the announcement by the Pacific Airport Group (GAP) regarding the start of the airport expansion in early 2020, which will include a connecting terminal that will increase the number of available spaces for the arrival of additional flights and passengers.

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The Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport is one of the busiest in the country. According to numbers provided by GAP, over 40 national and international flights arrive at the airport during the winter season, saturating the common areas, particularly the departure gates. The year is expected to close with the arrival of 5 million passengers, 70% of which are foreigners.

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The Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Bahía de Banderas Hotel and Motel Association (AHMBB) reaffirm their commitment to the strategic promotion of the destination, pursuing opportunities, and consolidating new markets to increase the number of incoming tourists with the support of the Government of the State of Nayarit via the Tourism Promotion Trust (Fiprotur).