AndrewPaul

Hello everyone. I feel it is my duty to write a little about what I feel to be an unfair treatment about Mexico in the news.

Tourism is the 3rd largest part of our economy, and many people depend on tourism and foreign investment.

Recently, Mexico has suffered a trifecta of bad press resulting in a huge drop in tourism revenue. I would like to address these issues one by one, separate the facts from the myths and hopefully inspire some people to travel south.

First - The swine flu. Let's be clear about this. It's the flu, nothing more. This may be a shock to some people, but over 100,000 people die every year from the flu (mostly in tropical climates) Maybe it sounds scary, but putting a name like 'swine' in front of 'flu' doesn't make it any more dangerous than your normal flu. If you are considering not traveling to Mexico because of this, just think - would you cancel a trip to Eurpoe because you heard people were getting the flu? It sounds exotic, it sounds scary (which is why the media picked up on it) but it's all hype.

Second - The drug related violence. This is a bigger problem, and one that Mexico will have to address in a serious way very soon. However, if you watch the news you are left with the impression that the whole country is erupting in uncontrollable violence. This is not true either. The violence is segregated to isolated areas (like the border towns) and in no way are tourists or foreigners being targeted. On the contrary, the tourist destinations have so far resisted the influence of the cartels because of the avaliability of legitmate jobs. Typically the drug trade takes root where economic conditions are depressed and people are forced to deal in contraband.

Third - the economic downturn/crisis. This was unavoidable, at least from Mexico's standpoint. Naturally tourism will become depressed in a recession and many people who would have otherwise traveled to Mexico now cannot afford to. Nevertheless, this has had 2 positive affects for people now considering going south. Hotels are running at very low occupancy rates, so they are desperate for clients. Many hotels are running specials, just call and see what they can do for you. Also, the histrically strong Peso has devalued 30% from it's high last August - which means 30% off everything in the country.

I hope everyone will take these factors into account when considering travel to Mexico. It's a great time for a Caribbean tan!

suze

Thank you for the thoughtful post. But shouldn't your last line read... "It's a great time for a Mexican tan"? suerte, suze

WillTravel

Well, Mexico does have a Caribbean side, so it does make sense.

suze

Of course it does, but it also has an entire Pacific Coast and Baja peninsula with loads of great beach resorts. When I read "get a Caribbean tan", I think of Jamaica or one of the Caribbean islands was my point.

SusanInToronto

Thanks for the post. I agree - I love Mexico and have no concerns about travelling there.

Katie2Travel

I think the vast majority of Mexico is as safe than most places in the U.S.

msk1001

i agree. it's a great time to go to mexico for vacation. im planning a trip to Los Cabos and am really excited about it. i've heard great things about it and have no concerns about traveling there either. can't wait!

cmitchell4363

I just got back from Cabo and it was everything I ever imagined and more. I too heard great things about it and it was just wonderfully relaxing. A great place to escape and enjoy mexican paradise. Great restaurants, beautiful beaches, friendly people, and I got to practice my spanish

AndrewPaul

Hi everyone! I just booked my winter travel plans to Los Cabos, Baja California. With the state of the economy, lots of hotels are offering huge discounts for people looking to travel to Mexico. One of my favorite chains, Barcelo (Spain) is offering an incredible deal where anyone can get up to 20% off any reservation. The Barcelo hotel in Cabo is under construction, with an opening date of December 1 – if anyone is thinking about going to Cabo, this promotion really is a great way to save some money. Just go to www.thehotelofyourdreams.com and write a review of what kind of hotel room you would like to stay in. Hopefully see some people down Mexico way!

zootsi

We love the Yucatan area - have visited there every winter for the past 5 years. Akumal, Tulum & Playa are our favorites!

caliSally

For those of us coming from the West Coast of the U.S., Pacific Coast Mexico is a lot closer and easier to get to than the Yucatan. So flying into Puerto Vallarta and heading just slightly up the coast into the small beach towns of the Riviera Nayarit is my family's fave. We just used this website to plan our coming Christmas trip, to this amazing little town an hour out of Vallarta, called San Francisco (San Pancho). The website is super helpful!

www.sanpancholife.com

Dude

Re: Swine flu- op's comment is a bit misleading. It is not the seasonal flu and it is going to require a different vaccine if sufficient quantities can be manufactured in time. Also, unlike the seasonal flu older folks seem to have a bit of protection against it, the very young and pregnant women in particular are at risk. Does it stop me from going to Mexico no, was in Oaxaca last month, it does bother me that the information seemed to suggest it was the seasonal flu and not another strain. I do agree that Mexico was unfairly singled out as, though the first cases may have occurred there, it is worldwide and there is no evidence to suggest Mexico is less safe Swine Flu wise than any other destination.

emd3

I am going to Oaxaca in October. I was going to go to the state of Michoacan this summer but the drug violence did stop me from going there. For me, the drug violence is getting too hot in Michocan, and it is not a border town or area. Mayors of 12 towns in Michoacan were recently arrested for allegedly cooperating w/La Familia. I have watched the drug violence closely in the news and I also read that La Familia had gone into a hotel in Guerrero where federal agents stayed and had shot up the hotel. Things like that are good to know about, wouldn't want to stay in that hotel. I feel safe in other areas of Mexico, but I am watching the drug violence closely before I travel. I think that is just a smart thing to do.

emd3

Please don't get me wrong- I love Mexico and it is my very favorite country to travel in. But it pays to be educated about your particular area of destination and to make informed decisions.