An Analysis of the Market Structure of the Tourist Parking Lots in Noga

An Analysis of the Market Structure of the Tourist Parking Lots in Nogales, Arizona Introduction This paper focuses on the market for daily parking in a one mile radius of the Nogales, Arizona/Nogales, Mexico border. Traveling to a foreign country often requires numerous preparations, and months of planning; paying and waiting for a passport, booking a hotel, and airfare. Yet for the average United States citizen, the proximity to Mexico provides a convenient and cost-effective opportunity for international travel by car. According to the World Tourism Organization, some 11.7 million tourists traveled by road to visit Mexico in 2004. While this number cannot be attributed to United States citizens in its entirety, approximately 94% of total tourism in Mexico is comprised of United States citizens (World Tourism Organization). Out of this number, approximately 72,139 tourists were considered â€Å"day visitors†. It is this high popularity of traveling to Mexico by car coupled with United States’ policy (to be discussed in detail) that has led to the construction of the border parking lots. Background During the 1970s the Nixon administration began an anti-drug campaign that came to be known as the "war on drug abuse" era. The crackdown of the importation of illegal substances into the United States gave birth to the creation of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The DEA enabled more efficient searches to take place especially along the border of Mexico and the United States. It was during this time that the Canine Enforcement Training Center was established in Washington D.C. (U.S. Customs Today) and the use of the canine came into play as officers came to rely on skilled dogs and their handlers to detect ... ...quirements and Beefed-Up Border.† 1 May 2005. . Keel, Robert. â€Å"Schaffer Library of Drug Policy.† . Mintz, John. â€Å"U.S. Will Tighten Passport Rules.† 6 April 2005 . â€Å"New Passport Initiative Announced To Better Secure America’s Borders.† 5 April 2005. . â€Å"Press Release: Western Hemisphere Initiative Formally Submitted for Public Comment† . â€Å"U.S. Customs Today.† February 2003. . â€Å"World Trade Organization- Mexico Tourism Indicators.† .