I absolutely love my adopted hometown of San Miguel de Allende. Most of us who live here share a common bond in knowing that we live in a very, very special place. For many who visit here for just a few days, they don’t understand it. They have a great time while here, but they can’t imagine actually living here. They could never understand how the city was once again named “Best City in the World” in this year’s recently released Travel+Leisure magazine annual awards.
How can it be that little SMA — not even in the top 100 largest cities in Mexico — could win Best City in the World for three straight years? Even some of the long-time foreign residents and locals seem to be a bit cynical about the distinction, but they still accept it with pride. For whatever its worth, I am not surprised. I know this place is special — and that’s why we relocated here. SMA is not just a place that you see, but one that you feel — and the more time you spend here, the more you feel it.
But that doesn’t mean that it is perfect, and every city on the planet is trying to continuously improve for its residents and visitors. San Miguel is no different. The city and its residents undeniably do a ton of things right, but there are also a lot of things that need improvement if it is going to stay on top. Here is my list, in no particular order, of what the city of SMA needs to do to keep getting better and stay ranked as the best city in the world:
1. Upgrade the buses
The bus system is the lifeblood of the city. They are what connect the surrounding and outlying communities with the center city. They are what connect the children to school, families and church services, grandmas and the market, and young employees and their workplaces. It’s an extensive, efficient, affordable transportation system and it gets the job done. But the air pollution belching out of most of the buses is some of the worst I have seen in the world. People in central SMA tend to walk everywhere — kids, grandmas, families — and we are all forced to breathe in the terrible toxic bus exhaust due to an absolute neglect of emission standards and upgrades. It’s shameful. Cities throughout Mexico are upgrading to electric buses; SMA must urgently do the same.
2. Expand the pedestrian-only core by one block in every direction in the central city.
The walkability of the central core is wonderful, but it oftentimes feels too small for the number of people. Expanding the “no car” zone by a block in each direction (say, to Insurgentes Avenue) would allow the core to further blossom. Great European cities have figured this out with amazing results — SMA has to make it happen as well.
3. Turn the “arroyo cachinches” (the river winding around the edge of town) into a beautiful, walkable urban park.
Stretches of it already are being beautified by volunteers, but other stretches of it have no walking path, lots of graffiti, and garbage. A recent volunteer effort by a neighborhood organization picked up 120 garbage bags full of trash in the river in just a two-block stretch! 120 bags of trash!! Leading cities worldwide have recognized that their rivers can be turned into incredible green spaces that allow residents to exercise, breathe fresh air and enjoy nature. San Miguel has an incredible opportunity to do something amazing with the river and make it an attraction for locals and tourists alike.
4. Program more events/activities in the Benito Juárez and Zeferino urban parks.
Both parks are ideal locations for concerts, kids’ events, sporting events, food festivals, movie nights, plant and flower festivals, etc. There is no better example than the recent Sabores de San Miguel (Taste of San Miguel) event in Parque Juárez. This event brings together the young and old and Mexicans and foreigners like few others, and everyone loves it. Why not have it quarterly instead of once a year?
5. Better promote the activities and destinations outside of town.
The mayor recently said that the city “might be reaching its limits on the amount of tourists it can accommodate.” The vineyards, the hot springs, the ranches, the mountains and the surrounding towns all have massive appeal for locals and tourists alike, but most times, few people know what is going on in those areas and even fewer actually go to them. The city government needs to engage these destinations, help promote them, and treat them as partners in offering a broader array of tourist options. Why are there not obvious and well-promoted hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding tours in the surrounding mountains? Why aren’t there monthly Sabores de San Miguel-type events at a different vineyard each month? I am shocked by how few of our vineyards most people have been to. Out of the now 24 vineyards surrounding San Miguel, most people have been to one or two — how can that be?? The city’s tourism strategy needs to be much more comprehensive and wide-ranging, and look far beyond the few blocks surrounding the parroquía.
6. Get the two large abandoned restaurant spaces on the main square opened up again.
How can the best city in the world have abandoned restaurant spaces in two of the four corners of the main square for years? They are an eyesore. Literally right next to one of the most beautiful churches in the world is a restaurant that has been abandoned for years. The city must figure out a way to solve whatever problem exists and get them open and filled with people again!
7. Do not allow Viagra / Cialis / painkiller tourist-focused pharmacies to put up ugly, obnoxious locations in the central city.
There are plenty of pharmacies serving the needs of local residents in the central city, and they do so in a professional way. For the first time the other day, I noticed an obnoxious new pharmacy just one block from San Miguel’s famous Aldama Avenue (considered one of the top 10 most beautiful in the world). It was like the ones you see every 10 feet in Mexican cruise ship ports, catering to gringos looking to stock up on their generic prescriptions, erectile dysfunction medicine and GLP-1 medications. We don’t need new pharmacies like this one that has opened in the central city.
8. Better engage the foreign community.
San Miguel is filled with foreigners with lots of time, money and experience. They must be better engaged, leveraged and challenged to make the community better. We already have plenty dog shelter volunteers, but need more people who want to help the city and its residents improve its education, healthcare, entrepreneurial skills, clean water availability, nature areas, etc. Why not create a core of volunteer foreign teachers who commit to helping make sure all young people in the city learn English? English language skills can significantly help young students in the future, and also allow them to find jobs locally and not have to leave the community in search of work.
9. Better engage the media.
There is a huge opportunity for the city to improve how it does at engaging and collaborating with media organizations like Mexico News Daily and others. Instead of working with us to promote the main events and key initiatives of the city, they leave us in the dark like everyone else on what is going on. The monthly event calendar is usually posted late and is missing most of the actual activities that take place in the month. Why not dedicate more resources to leverage media outlets to help promote what the city is planning? I frequently talk to local community leaders planning events who tell me that they receive very little support from the city. This is a big missed opportunity.
10. Find creative ways to raise more taxes for city improvements.
Options exist, like increasing the tax on home sales, higher property tax rates on all new construction, higher property tax rates on future home sales, or higher hotel room taxes. Of course, no option will be popular, and none of them will be easy to implement, but more taxes raised will mean more that can be done to continue to improve the city.
11. Figure out a logical parking scheme for each of the main corners of the city.
Parking in central SMA is becoming absurd. At some lots, rates are now as high as 70 pesos ($4 USD) per hour. Most of these places do not offer a daily rate. In other words, parking rates are nearing $100 USD a day in some lots — that is Manhattan pricing! I frequently hear about how residents not living right downtown are beginning to avoid the central city. Parking is too expensive, it’s too hard to find parking spots — it’s too much of a pain. I can’t tell you how many times I see cars driving around and around looking for parking. As happens in so many cities, increasingly limited and expensive parking results in much more traffic as cars drive around looking for options. SMA needs to take real ownership on this issue and build affordable city lots in different corners of the city. If done right, it would raise revenue for the city, reduce central city traffic, and attract more locals to town to frequent stores and restaurants. The last thing we want to happen is for the central city to become only “for tourists,” and then the surrounding areas for residents. Many cities around the world have figured out this parking problem — it’s time SMA does the same.
12. Get much better at engaging state and federal government.
Both the federal and state governments know that San Miguel is one of the crown jewels of Mexico. I am certain that the city could put together a comprehensive SMA 2030 plan that asks for more resources to help fund specific initiatives and improve the city. The state and federal government understand the huge value for the entire county in San Miguel continuing to receive the recognition it does; they need to do their part in helping continue to improve the city.
It goes without saying that we cannot take San Miguel’s “Best City in the World” status for granted. There are examples around the world of places being “loved to death,” as well as places that became complacent and lost their appeal. SMA needs to up its game and be better taken care of. Most of us would agree that a lot more can and should be urgently done to keep the city on top!
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.
