Description
Maquiladora Tour of Nogales, Sonora
Tuesday, November 17, 8:30am-1pm
Nogales, Sonora, hosts over 100 maquiladoras spread across 13 industrial parks. The sector remains the backbone of the local economy, employing roughly 34,000 residents and driving billions in cross-border trade with Arizona. In the mid-1960s, the Mexican government created what was then known as the maquiladora program as an incentive to increase foreign direct investment.
This is your opportunity to see and learn how this critical component of our economy works and carries forward in these times of unpredictable international trade agreements and tariffs.
We will be touring PENCOM an American owned, privately held corporation founded in 1982. Our tour guide, Antonio Valenzuela, is the plant manager who is bilingual and keen to share with you the ins and outs of the maquiladora system. We will be at PENCOM for 90+ minutes and then we'll have an early lunch at Naranxa, a great restaurant featuring typical Mexican fare with as many organic ingredients as possible.
We will meet at the Burger King in Nogales, Arizona at 8:30am to park your cars and have an orientation. We'll walk across the border together to meet our van and our tour guide. We should be back at the border crossing by 1:00pm to finish the tour.
Passport or Real ID Driver's License are required to re-enter the U.S. On this tour you will see how easy it is to cross the border and walk to many wonderful eateries, pharmacies, and dental/medical offices. We will send you an email 7-10 days prior to the tour with more detailed directions and information.
Activity level: Moderate. Walking up to 1 mile at a leisurely pace on uneven surfaces. Some stairs. Be advised that there are few sidewalks in Mexico and many potholes, extra caution must be taken.
Tour fee: $95 for BCA members / $105 for non-members
Cancellation policy: On or before November 7: full refund (less $25 cancellation fee) OR a credit for a future equivalent tour. After November 7: NO refunds; a credit for a future tour may be offered.
This tour will also be offered on January 19 and March 18, 2027.
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