Mexico remains a safe tourist
destination and this is reflected in the 22.6 million international
visitors that arrived in 2008, of which 18 million were Americans. This
number represents a 5.9 percent increase from the previous year.
Tourists who suffered any incidents were minimal.
The
violence associated with drug trafficking is isolated in cities that
are far away from tourism destinations. We suggest using common
precautions as when traveling to any foreign country.
Q: Is Mexico an unsafe place to travel?
Mexico
ranks tenth as an international travel destination in the world and is
the number one international tourism destination for North Americans
traveling abroad. Many tourists to the country are repeat visitors,
which demonstrates that the vast majority of tourists are satisfied and
leave with overwhelmingly positive impressions.
Q:
The travel alert issued by the U.S. State Department warns that even
travel within the country beyond the border is dangerous. Should I just
avoid traveling to Mexico completely?
No. Common sense and proper
precautions must be taken when traveling anywhere, and Mexico is no
exception. Whether traveling on the border or if you find yourself in
another area of the country, stick to legitimate businesses and tourist areas. Be aware of your surroundings and your stay should be a memorable and safe experience.
Mexico’s
frontier, like many other frontiers in other countries, at times
experiences certain conflicts and those crossing border states should
do so while taking the proper precautions.
Q: Then what do you make of the U.S. State Department warning against travel to the border due to infighting among drug cartels?
In
Mexico, the possession and consumption of drugs and narcotics are
illegal. The laws governing these offenses are stricter and the
resulting fines and prison sentences are often harsher than those
provided for in U.S. and Canadian law.
The
recent incidents involving drug traffickers have prompted U.S. and
Canadian authorities to suggest travelers exercise extra caution when
visiting certain border towns.
It
is important to note, however, that this temporary announcement does
not advise travelers against visiting the many safe tourist
destinations. In
fact, Leslie Basset, Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in
Mexico City, declared that the intention of the alert is to inform of
the violent acts that are taking place in specific states of Mexico as
well as in other nations. She clarified that in no way does this alert
seek to negatively portray the tourist destinations.
Q: Shouldn’t everyone just avoid going to Mexico, with everything that is going on with the crime and drug dealers?
It’s
important to note that hotel occupancy in the popular destinations for
tourists within Mexico remains strong. A report from the Secretary of
Tourism elaborated this month (February 2009) shows the following:
Cancun’s hotel occupancy at 73%, Riviera Maya at 85%, Los Cabos at 69%
and Puerto Vallarta at 78%,
As
the country’s promotion agency, the Mexico Tourism Board recommends
visitors to contact our many offices for more information on the
destination they are planning to visit.
Drug
dealing and possession are a social problem that every nation faces,
and Mexico is no exception. Visitors can be confident that local
authorities are working hard to apprehend all those who violate the law
to bring them to justice.
Q: What if something does happen? Will emergency services be able to help?
Federal
and local governments are constantly working on improving emergency
services, not only for tourists but for locals, too. Visitors should
take precautions if they have any pre-existing medical needs and speak
to their doctors before they travel abroad. We are also working on
raising the bar in our standards to that our guests are kept safe, such
as de-legalizing open bars in areas known as Spring Break destinations.
Hundreds
of thousands of American students travel to resort areas throughout
Mexico over Spring Break each year. The best way to enjoy their
vacation without incident is to use some common sense to avoid dangerous situations.
