Tijuana has given a border twist to one of its most important shopping weekends of the year, known as El Buen Fin, or The Good Weekend — basically the Mexican version of Black Friday. For the first time, and in an effort to attract Southern California shoppers, the city will offer 500 “fast lane” passes per day, allowing visitors who spend at least $100 to use one of the designated lanes at both the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry to cross the border back into the U.S. faster. “This is a win-win,” said Julián Palombo, president of the Tijuana chapter of the National Chamber of Commerce, or Canaco. “For business owners, but also for U.S. customers who can come, buy and go back home faster.” El Buen Fin, created in 2011 to stimulate the economy, will be held Friday through Monday. This year, the four-day sales event is expected to generate $8.25 billion nationwide — 10 percent more than in 2023, according to Mexican officials. The fast lane at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Thursday in Tijuana. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune) In Tijuana, business owners have similar expectations. Last year, the event generated $265 million in economic revenue, Palombo said. The pass allows participants to use one of the designated lanes for the FastLane program, with access on the Mexican side of the port of entry. The FastLane program was initially created for U.S. patients visiting registered medical doctors in Tijuana but later expanded to include businesspeople visiting for investment purposes, as well as cross-border students. This four-day weekend will also accept eligible U.S. shoppers in town. Currently, about 50,000 people use the program each month. The program is not operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and does not change the inspection process to enter the country. Requirements to receive a free pass include spending 2,000 pesos (about $100) at any store, hotel or restaurant in Tijuana from Nov. 15 to 18, and proving residency in the U.S. Shoppers must send a photo of their receipt and official U.S. identification, as well as information about the driver, license plate of the vehicle, number of passengers and email address via WhatsApp to phone numbers (+52) 664-376-2371, 664-101-5800, 664-205-2226, 664-376-1605, or 663-111-7598. The passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A 3 Hermanos shoe store advertises for El Buen Fin, starting Friday. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune) The pilot program between Canaco and the city is designed to boost tourism. Tijuana’s secretary of economic development, Pedro Montejo Peterson, acknowledged Tuesday a decrease in tourism from Southern California due in part to the long lines to cross the border back, he said. During the four days, the three FastLane booths — two in San Ysidro and one in Otay Mesa — will be open 24 hours instead of the regular 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., he said. Business leaders on both sides of the border praised the initiative. Joaquín Luken, CEO of the nonprofit Smart Border Coalition, said the plan is an opportunity for Tijuana so people can get to know the new restaurants, malls, stores and services the city has to offer. “It is a good idea to encourage people to cross (the border) again,” he said. “These crossings that we’ve lost, the sporadic crossings to go shopping, to go out to eat, or maybe try a new restaurant, but we don’t do it because of the long wait.” Luken, however, felt that the FastLane program needed to be monitored to ensure that the passes were not being misused. Tijuana officials said that concerns are being addressed and that wait times are not expected to increase significantly for El Buen Fin. An El Buen Fin sign at an Electra store in Tijuana. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Business representatives said some of the most sought-after products in Tijuana tend to be Mexican-made clothing and footwear and groceries. Tijuana officials said there will be additional patrols at malls, stores and other locations during the four-day shopping event. It has become a tradition for shoppers from Mexico to cross the border to take advantage of Black Friday discounts in the United States. With this program, which officials hope can be repeated every year, Tijuana businesses are looking to promote the benefits of living in a cross-border community. “At the end of the day, we are not in competition,” Palombo from Canaco said. “So many Mexicans go to the U.S. side to buy things, just as many residents from the other side of the border come to our city.”