Bahia de Banderas Urban Forum 2022. Expanding into the future.

With the aim of promoting sustainable development, the Bahia de Banderas Urban Forum 2022 was held

The municipal president of Bahía de Banderas, Mirtha Villalvazo Amaya, invited the organizers of the Regional Forum Interconnecting Smart Cities, carried out by UN Habitat, Centro Urbano, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to bring this important forum to the municipality of Bahía De Banderas. The ADEPM was part of this first Bahía de Banderas Urban Forum 2022. 

The main topic was the future urban and territorial development of Bahía de Banderas. According to INEGI figures, Bahía de Banderas has 180,000 inhabitants and 479,000 including the conurbation of Bahía de Banderas with Puerto Vallarta. 

It is a reality that Bahía de Banderas has a set back in its territorial regulations. Mainly it is because its municipal development plan has not been updated for 20 years. (2002) With this arises the urgent need to standardize interstate transportation, in addition to building the federation bridge and creating a culture of care for natural spaces and the environment, considering all aspects of care for adaptation to climate change. 

Bahia de Banderas Urban Forum “Interconnecting Smart Cities”.

The general director of INSUS, José Alfonso Iracheta Camarillo, spoke about smart cities, technology  as an engine for connectivity and sustainability. In addition to the competitiveness to create mechanisms of public policies, which allow to maximize the potential of cities, highlighting that in the development of cities their growth is determined by the land, since public policies must be created according to the needs of the same and always taking care of the environment. 

“You have to find a balance so as not to create impacts on development, taking care of it will give value to the land.” 

The tourist destination of Acapulco was put as an unfortunate example; Due to the disorderly growth and carelessness of its authorities and residents, today it is a place considered as a destination without tourist attraction, without territorial planning and care of its environment. In addition to being considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world. 

Bahía de Banderas and Puerto Vallarta have a Metropolitan Council, made up of citizens, 8 are representatives of Puerto Vallarta and 8 of Bahía de Banderas. It will be through them that a new urban agenda will be created, with new models of governability and governance. This new agenda should include diagnoses so that they can be integrated into the country’s three levels of government. It is known that there are 74 metropolitan areas in the country, but that of Bahía De Banderas and Puerto Vallarta are the only ones with an interstate character in the entire Mexican territory. 

There are 9 points to consider in the Metropolitan Agenda, which are: 

1-Planning 

2-Regulation 

3-Mobility in Conurbation Transportation 

4-Environment 

5-Health 

6-Waste Treatment 

7-Safety with a C-5 Interstate 

8-Comprehensive Risk Management 

9-Management and Tourism Promotion