Rocky Point hoping for travel boom this Memorial Day weekend

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Those in Puerto Peñasco are finally seeing a resurgence of visitors months after the area hit a rocky point.

According to Carmen Mendez, the shift manager at the Why Not Travel Store, months after re-opening, they are finally seeing the number of travelers they saw prior to the closure of the Lukeville Port of Entry.

“We’re happy about it,” Mendez, said. “We are back in business.”

The port was shut down towards the end of 2023 due to an influx of migrants seeking asylum at the southern border. The closure meant travelers had to go through San Luis or Nogales to get to Rocky Point.

Gaby Duran, who made the trip down south on Friday, told 13 News the lines to get through the port stretched for miles.

Duran traveled to Puerto Peñasco while the Lukeville Port of Entry was closed and said the entryway to “Arizona’s beach” looked much different, just a few months ago.

“Going through it was easy peasy, they didn’t check you,” Duran remembered. “They didn’t stop you.”

Duran visits Rocky Point at least twice a month and said the wait now, is much different.

“We kind of anticipated that it would be a wait,” Duran said. “This was actually the first time that I could say we waited.”

With beaches and resorts packed Duran told 13 News it’s a good idea to follow different groups on social media to get up-to-date information.

“It’s packed, the beaches are packed, we are at Sandy Beach and it’s very full,” Duran said. “Lots of people, we stay in the R.V. Park, the R.V. Park is also pretty full and people are still trickling in.”

However, Duran isn’t the only one who saw long wait times.

Many travelers on social media reported waiting up to four hours to pass the port of entry.

The increase in traffic is what Mendez has been waiting for.

“They have been seven miles long, the traffic backed up in the road,” Mendez said. “That will take them at least three or four hours to cross.”

Travelers waiting hours to cross over means not only more business for Mendez but for all the businesses in Rocky Point.

“This is the first holiday that we are very busy again like in the past years,” Mendez said.

Mendez is hoping the Memorial Day Weekend is just the start to a busy summer.

“Usually in June and July, we are always busy. It’s summer, kids are out of school, a lot of kids are doing graduation trips,” Mendez said. “We are hoping for a good season this summer.”

Larry Miles with Encantame Towers in Rocky Point agrees.

“This could be the first weekend this year where travel levels and visitor levels are getting back to normal,” Miles said. “It’s been that long for us to get those kind of numbers, we are six months in.”

He said many resorts are already seeing a high number of travelers.

“We have numbers going into this weekend that rival the best of what we had last year,” Miles said.

However, Miles’ hope is with more travelers making their way down to Puerto Peñasco, businesses in the beach town will soon see relief.

“The businesses here are still hurting,” Miles said. “We are slowly starting to get some footing but we aren’t there yet. “

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