Is Mexico Safe to Travel to? A look at Tourist Advisories in Mexico.
Mexico has for some time been considered one of the most popular and affordable beach vacation deals to tourists from Canada, the U.S. and Europe. In fact, Mexico’s tourism board has been pumping Mexico as a hotspot for 2012 in anticipation of end of the Mayan Calendar. Foreign tourism is up but North Americans are becoming weary of Mexico as a safe travel destination in the light of recent killings of tourists in 2010,2011 and now in 2012.
Travel agents and Mexico tourism officials say that the violence stemming from drug related gangs is far from the tourist hot spots like the Mayan Riviera and Cancun. But another recent event involving a 28-year old Mexican Man Jose Ramon Acosta beating a Canadian tourist at her 5 star resort suggests otherwise. Sheila Nabb and her husband were vacationing at the Riu Emerald Bay in January 2012. Her body was found beaten beyond recognition in one of the hotel elevators and she is fighting for her life amidst several surgeries to reconstruct her face.
Canadians Hesitant to Visit Mexico
Sheila is the latest victim amongst hundreds of Canadians assaulted or killed in Mexico over recent years and it is no wonder that once Mexico happy Canadian tourists are opting for Cuba and the Dominican Republic for their cheap vacation getaways.
Travel Advisories
The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada posted these warnings.
Exercise high degree of Caution – “Canadians travelling to Mexico should exercise a high degree of caution due to a deteriorating security situation in many parts of the country. While most major tourist areas have not been affected by the extreme levels of violence in the northern border region, it is highly advisable to travel to Mexico by air (please refer to our official warning for the Mexico-United States border). High levels of criminal activity, as well as occasional demonstrations and protests, remain a concern throughout the country.
Presidential elections are scheduled for July 1, 2012. In the period leading up to and during the elections, Canadians are advised to remain vigilant, avoid large crowds and demonstrations, exercise caution, follow the advice of local authorities, and monitor local media.”
Avoid non-esstial travel – “Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada advises against non-essential travel to the border areas between Mexico and the United States, due to continuously high levels of violence linked to organized crime in those areas.”
Travel Warning U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Bureau of Consular Affairs posted these warnings.
There are many concerns for us travellers as to the safety in Mexico even on “Secure Resorts”. There are still questions regarding last year’s explosion at the Grad Riviera Princess hotel which don’t include what Mexican officals called a”swamp gas explosion” which killed 5 Canadians and two Mexicans. Let’s not forget the B.C. man shot in the leg, another ontario woman who was gang raped, parents shot and killed in their hotel room while celebrating a family wedding and several other not so small news stories coming from Mexico of Canadian Tourists whose dream vacations turned to nightmares.
Are tourists falling for the hype and do they have a false sense of security that their Mexican vacation resort is safe?
