Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Murder By Media: What Misleading News Coverage Is Doing To Mexico

Murder By Media: What Misleading

News Coverage Is Doing To Mexico

By Hugo Torres, Mayor

Rosarito Beach, Mexico

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---In Rosarito Beach, as in much of Mexico, we are fighting two battles these days.


One is against organized crime. The other is against misleading media coverage that wrongly implies that much of Mexico is unsafe for visitors and residents, and which is devastating our economy.

Some reporters, stories and outlets have been responsible and balanced, including some of those who know this area best. Many, perhaps most, have not.


The war that Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon has launched against drug cartels (which are fed in part by a $38 billion yearly U.S. drug market) is indeed a serious one, one of vital concern for both our countries.


We welcome and invite serious and analytical coverage of this struggle. Such coverage can be of significant help to both countries, which have much at stake.


What we don’t welcome is inaccurate, sensationalized, unbalanced and unfair coverage, which provides no insight but only promotes fear and misunderstanding. There has been far too much of this and it continues largely unabated.


Some media reports are simply biased and inaccurate. They are from individuals or media outlets that have an agenda against Mexico and will publish anything to promote it, whether or not it is true.


What is more troubling are reports from mainstream media that present an unbalanced, superficial and worrisome portrait of what life is like in Mexico, including Baja, California.


This is sometimes done because sensationalism sells; other times because of lack of understanding: many reporters never even visit. At other times, the situation in one city is presented as if it represents all of Mexico, a vast country.


Reports repeatedly talk of 6,000 drug-related deaths in Mexico in 2008. (That surely is a troubling number, as is the existence of organized crime and the corruption it has caused. We’ve had to work hard in Rosarito to clean it up and it is a continuing challenge.) But what the reports don’t mention when they talk of killings is that Mexico is an immense country of 110 million people.


The reports often don’t mention that while some law enforcement personnel have been killed, cartel members primarily are killing each other as it becomes harder for them to do business, as they fight each other for shrinking territories.


What the reports also don’t mention is that in 2008, according to MSNBC, the murder rate in New Orleans was much higher than that of Tijuana. (Yet you will not see many if any stories warning people not to go to New Orleans. Much of the U.S. media uses far different standards when reporting stories outside the U.S.)

More troubling, the reports seldom state clearly that 90 percent or more of the killings in Mexico are drug-related. The typical resident is not targeted, nor is the visitor. As in New Orleans --- as in gang wars in Los Angeles --- the tourist is not the target.


Yet, those who watch or read many sensationalized media reports in the U.S. have become afraid to visit our region of Mexico, where tourism has dropped more than 50 percent, a reduction that has caused painful economic hardship here.


Sometimes reports cite, out of context, the U.S. State Department alert concerning travel to Mexico, indicating it advises people not to go.


In fact, while noting that drug-related violence has increased recently in Mexico, the alert (not a warning) in part advises “common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate businesses and tourist areas.’ That’s good advice for travelers most anywhere.


The U.S. State Department also notes that “millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year (including thousands who cross the U.S. land border every day for study, tourism or business).” You can read the entire alert on the U.S. Customs website.


Our many frequent visitors and expatriate residents (we have 14,000 in Rosarito alone) are among those who speak strongly of feeling secure here. They know the situation first-hand --- not from media reports.

This is not to say that Mexico does not have some crime problems, or that no visitor or U.S. resident will ever be victim of a crime in Mexico. With more than 20 million annual visitors and hundreds of thousands of expatriate residents, a crime will occasionally happen, just as it does in the U.S. and other countries.


But that is rare here.


More typical is the experience of Jack Flynn, owner of the Professional Longboard Association, who is a part-time Rosarito resident and has been coming here for decades to surf. He never has had one problem. He encourages people --- including fellow surfers --- to come see for themselves.


A graduate-level public affairs class at Emerson College, a prestigious communications school in Boston, recently began doing a study on U.S. coverage of Mexico. Already it has found many instances of sensationalism and bias, including from some prestigious media outlets from which better should be expected.


No one at Emerson is getting paid for this project. It is being conducted because the professor of the class, Gregory Payne, saw a vast difference between life in Rosarito, where his family has a home, and what the media was reporting.


He simply could not recognize the safe and enjoyable Rosarito he knows first-hand from the one he was encountering in media reports. He knows that with recent changes, Rosarito probably is safer than ever --- despite the impression created by many media reports.


We hope the Emerson project, along with other efforts and the media’s self-examination of its own reporting, will result in fairer coverage in the future. In the meantime, please talk to those who know the area first-hand --- or visit yourself --- to get an accurate picture.


Right now, you’re not getting one from many media reports.


(Hugo Torres is in his second three-year term as Mayor of Rosarito, which he began

in December of 2007. Since taking office he has reformed the police force, adding a special tourist police force, and an office for visitor assistance.)


Friday, May 8, 2009

Mexico: A Safe and Affordable Vacation


Mexico: A Safe and Affordable Vacation
by Christa Thomas

Lately, there have been a lot of rumors in the news about Mexico. By now, everyone is probably aware of the travel advisory for Mexico and has read an article from the U.S. media’s campaign against Mexico. But what is the real story from people living and vacationing in this great country?

Mexico is a huge country that 110 million people call home. Within that, several border towns have been experiencing drug cartel violence. The U.S. media has tried to create the perception that all of Mexico, including favorite sun and beach destinations, is dangerous.

Part of what started the media frenzy was the U.S. Department of State's Mexico Travel Alert. The U.S. Department of State issued a travel alert (their lowest level of warning) on February 20, 2009, about travel to Mexico. It says, in part, “While millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year (including thousands who cross the land border every day for study, tourism or business), violence in the country has increased recently . . . Common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where prostitution and drug dealing might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable.”

This is good advice that applies when traveling in any country. It certainly should not have sparked the fear and sensationalized coverage that it has. The Travel Alert has been broadly misinterpreted to read that no one should travel to anywhere in Mexico. Clearly though, it does not tell travelers to avoid Mexico, and only urges caution.

I have lived in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico, for two and a half years, and I can report firsthand that the claims of violence and disorder are extremely exaggerated. The information in some U.S. media does not reflect the reality of my life in paradise.

This week I kayaked with dolphins, played softball with a large group of ex-pats, hiked, biked, played on the beach, ate two lunches and one dinner at restaurants (including an amazing crab and shrimp tostado), and watched a live band on the beach while sipping cold cerveza. And each evening, after dark (when it had cooled down), I walked my dog. Not once did I fear for my safety. The only thing I was in danger of was a sunburn.

I drive to Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora, at least once a month. I have never experienced or seen any problems and have never felt threatened or unsafe. I was once pulled over by a police officer who politely said, “drive slower please,” and let me continue on my way. I find that the majority of Mexican people are extremely helpful, kind and generous.

My sister and nephew are on their way here today and my mother will join us next week. I would not encourage them to travel here if there was any chance that they would be in danger.

I’m not the only one who feels safe in Mexico. Mexico Living recently polled its readers on whether or not they feel safe traveling to and/or living in Mexico. These are people who know the situation firsthand, and not just from media reports. The overwhelming response was that readers feel safer in Mexico than they feel in the U.S. and/or Canada. They speak strongly about how secure they feel in Mexico.

Since the Travel Alert was issued, the U.S. Department of State has tried to clear up some of the confusion. During the Daily Press Briefing on March 13, 2009, Gordon Duguid, Acting Deputy Department Spokesman, stated, “The violence in certain areas along the borders is of concern. We have made our concerns known in our Travel Alert. I would point out, however, that it is localized. I would also point out that the violence is a response to President Calderon’s strong action against drug cartels. These cartels wanted to have things their own way, and the president refused to accept that and has taken them on, and they have responded with violence. Some of the violence is between the gangs themselves, and some of it is against the police and the other law enforcement authorities. So while we are concerned about the violence in these localized areas, we congratulate the Mexican Government for taking on the problem. And we note in our Travel Alert that American citizens should be aware of the problems in these areas, but that also their travel does not need to be hindered if they have the information that they need.”

Responding to a question about Secretary Clinton’s visit to Monterrey, and whether this is some kind of signal of the Department’s assurance to U.S. citizens that Mexico is safe to travel to, Gordon Duguid stated, “I think that you can judge that if we did not feel somewhere was safe, that we would not take our Secretary there. So, I think it does make that statement”.

At another briefing, Gordon Duguid repeated, “We’ve said that Mexico is a safe country to travel to. I’ve said that from this podium and so has Robert Wood, my colleague.” Further, “The U.S. State Department believes that President Calderon is in full control of his country.”

Peter Kent, Canada's junior foreign minister, echoed these sentiments, stating in an interview, "You can see that certainly the conventional tourist spots, the major tourist locations, don't have any more risk involved than at normal times."

Arthur Frommer, publisher of the famed travel guides, recently traveled to Mexico and stated, “In actual fact, the resort areas of Mexico . . . have experienced no violence directed against tourists and are, in fact, almost totally serene, as I myself witnessed on a recent stay. It is as safe to vacation in the tourist part of Mexico today as to go to any city of the U.S. or Canada.”

Arthur Frommer makes a good point. Looking at crime statistics, it would appear that Americans are safer in Mexico than they are in many parts of the United States. The United States is the most crime-ridden country in the world. Mexico is not even in the top five. The top five are (based on total crimes per country):

1. United States – 11,877,218
2. United Kingdom – 6,523,706
3. Germany - 6,507,394
4. France - 3,771,850
5. Russia – 2,952,370

On a per capita basis, the United States ranks 8th, while Mexico is 39th. Reporting that all of Mexico is not safe based on violence in three or four cities is like saying that the United States is dangerous based on the crime statistics for New Orleans (209 murders in 2008), Detroit and East Los Angeles. In 2008, more Americans died in New Orleans (one city) than in all of Mexico.

The U.S. media has also sensationalized a U.S. military planning report issued in January misinterpreting it to say that Mexico was in danger of becoming a “failed state.” Unfortunately, fear sells papers. The document, however, explicitly states, "This document is speculative in nature and does not suppose to predict what will happen." The document was meant to prompt creative planning and policies that would avoid the "what if?" scenarios.

Dennis Blair, the Director of National Intelligence, has since reported, "Mexico is in no danger of becoming a failed state." Secretary Clinton stated, after her recent visit to Mexico, “I don’t believe that there are any ungovernable territories in Mexico.”

Anthony Placido, chief of intelligence for the Drug Enforcement Administration, recently testified at a Senate hearing that the violence in certain border towns is not a sign of state failure so much as acts of desperation by the cartels and a sign that the Mexican offensive is succeeding.

Mexico is not a failed state, and the majority of cities are extremely safe. Tourism is still strong in Mexico as millions flock to seaside resorts and cobble-stone cities. Last year 22.6 million foreign tourists safely visited Mexico (17.6 million of them Americans). This was a 5.9 percent increase over 2007.

Mexico’s Tourism Board states, “Mexico remains the number one destination for Americans and the occupancy rates in resort areas during the first two months of this year have been higher than last year. Tourism is the third source of foreign revenue for our country and, therefore, safety of international and national tourists is of our utmost priority.”

Spring break has now come and gone with thousands of students safely enjoying all that Mexico has to offer. Mexico continues to be an amazing, fun, sunny, warm, SAFE and affordable place to vacation and LIVE. Come see for yourself!

Read what the vacationers, part timers, and full timers have to say about Living and playing in Mexico - Quotes

STATISTICS: Mexico is Safer than the United States

MEXICO IS SAFER THAN THE UNITED STATES
International Crime Stats statistics show the United States as the country with the most crimes globally. According to Nationmaster, an International Statistics source the US is #1 in the world for crime and Mexico is #12.

Here are the latest statistics from Nationmaster (per capita refers to amount of victims per 1000 people):

Total Crimes:
1. United States - 23,677,800
2. Germany - 6,264,723
3. United Kingdom - 5,170,831
4. France - 3,771,849
5. South Africa - 3,422,743


Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Safety in Mexico - Letter to the Editor


The following was published recently in the Sierra Vista Herald as a letter to the editor and was in response to recent articles in that paper. The accompanying fact sheet was not published. With permission of the author, Ted Berns, the letter and fact sheet by Gary are reproduced here for your information. Well written and well said by both gentlemen.

I just finished reading your latest story regarding drug related violence in Mexico entitled "Mexico morgues crowded with mounting drug war dead". I enjoy the Herald and I know you strive for balanced reporting. However there has been a significant failure on the part of National and local media to objectively explore the real risks of violence for those, like myself, who enjoy travel to Mexico. I have read literally dozens of stories such as the one mentioned above, but have not read a single report from anyone who actually lives, works and travels in Mexico regarding the actual level of danger to persons not involved in illegal activity.
Certainly the drug wars currently raging in that Country are real and deserve attention. However I believe you do your readers a great disservice by only reporting one side of this story. The following fact sheet was recently sent to me by a friend who has lived and worked in Mexico for over 40 years. I have owned property in Mexico for ten years and regularly travel throughout the Country. I have never felt threatened or unsafe. To the contrary, I have found the Mexican people to be extremely gracious, kind and generous even when the attitude of foreigners is less than pleasant. I know many other Sierra Vista residents who have had the same experience. Tourism in places like San Carlos and Rocky Point has suffered greatly in part due to the economy and in large part due to the overblown fear caused by stories such as your recent "Mexican Morgue" article.
These irrational fears are a tragedy both for the Mexicans who depend on tourism for their livelihoods and for the Americans who are intimidated into avoiding a wonderful culture and people because of the actions of an extremely small criminal society. In these tough economic times, the weak Mexican peso offers incredible bargains for American vacationers. A great dinner for two at a nice restaurant can be had for less than $20 US and nice accommodations can be rented for under $70.00.
Perhaps most troubling about the one sided reporting of the Mexican violence issue is that it plays directly into the hands of the drug cartels who wish to destabilize the government and increase their own economic power. Is there drug related violence in certain areas? Certainly. Is it in any way aimed at foreign tourists or Americans engaged in legitimate activities in Mexico? No. Americans who use common sense should have no fear about traveling in Mexico or enjoying the many positive aspects of that Country and its wonderful people.
Special Mexico Travel Safety Advisory
CRIME in the USA vs. MEXICO:
Just about every country in the world is now experiencing increased crime rates. However, there are usually safe areas in every country where the crime rate is lower or non-existent. The U.S. State Department put out a warning about the violence in Mexico. The report states that 128 Americans were killed in Mexico between January 2006 and December 2008.
Looking more closely at the data for the northwestern part of Mexico, including Rosarito Beach, Ensenada, Mexicali, San Felipe, Tecate and Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point) had 42 Americans killed, from all causes (there were at least four suicides) in the last three years combined. Those are the largest tourist areas of Northwest Mexico, excluding Tijuana. In Los Angeles County, there have been 103 murders in the last six months. In 2008, there were 324 homicides in L.A. County. People in Los Angeles would probably say that there are certain unsafe areas to avoid. According to the latest FBI crime statistics, Phoenix, AZ is the kidnapping capital of the US. People in Phoenix would probably say that there are certain unsafe areas to avoid. People living in Mexico would say the same thing.

For more than a dozen years more than five major US Motor Coach Tour Companies travel the Mexican Copper Canyon route every week with around 40 older/retiree passengers per coach. They travel through Nogales to San Carlos, then through the Copper Canyon, then up through Chihuahua and Juarez. There is even one company that travels exclusively from El Paso/Juarez to the Canyon and back; the areas covered by news reports. That's over 7000 tourists per year.

In all those years, including 2009, there has not been one incidence of drug related violence against any of them.

Recent FBI statistics show the murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants in Baltimore is 43.3, Washington DC is 29.1, and Detroit is 47.

Mexico, which suffered an especially violent year in 2008, recorded a murder rate of about 10 per 100,000 inhabitants. Life is statistically far more dangerous in the north.
More information from the latest 2009 US State Department Travel Advisory: While millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year (including thousands who cross the land border every day for study, tourism or business), violence in the country has increased recently........Common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where prostitution and drug dealing might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable........U.S. citizens should make every attempt to travel on main roads during daylight hours, particularly the toll ("cuota") roads, which generally are more secure.
Reports of violence are extremely overblown. Some recent visitors to Mexico say the reports of disorder have been overly exaggerated. Paul G. from Arizona said "I would definitely say that the impression that the Americans get in the media is more intense and hyped-up than reality." Richard L. from New Mexico said "Millions of people go to Mexico every year without any incident whatsoever. However, I never drive my car at night and I always use the toll roads rather than driving through towns and cities. It's faster that way, too." Henry G. from Nevada said "The situation is grave in some sense, but it's not that significant for most tourists......But people need to be careful and stay informed where the major incidences are happening." Nancy K. from California said "People who know Mexico will keep going. It is less expensive than many places, and it is easier to get there." She continued "But then, I'm cautious. I don't do stupid things. I dress appropriately and I'm not rude to people. I try to speak Spanish as much as possible," she said, "These are all the things that I do as a traveler anywhere." Looking at crime statistics, it would appear that Americans are safer in Mexico, especially Sonora, than they are in many parts of the United States. There is violence in Tijuana and other border towns, however generally the violence is Mexicans against one another (much like gangs or gangsters of 1930's Chicago prohibition), the vast majority of Mexico's murder victims are themselves involved in the drug trade. This is also true with kidnapping, it's not tourists or snowbirds. It's also important to remember that the rise in violence is due to the pressure being placed on the cartels and corruption by a Mexican President and new administration that is dedicated to clean things up and removing as much corruption as possible.
On a personal note, I have traveled to and from San Carlos for more than 40 years. We have always traveled the main Federal Highway 15 and used common sense. We follow the rules. Neither we nor our friends or customers, to our knowledge, has ever been the victim of any drug related violence. We are not experts and we can't tell anyone what to do, but we do personally travel back and forth.

*Please, add previous correspondence when replying

Mayor of Rosarito Beach Mexico speak out against US media

By Hugo Torres, Mayor
Rosarito Beach, Mexico

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---In Rosarito Beach, as in much of Mexico, we are fighting two battles these days.

One is against organized crime. The other is against misleading media coverage that wrongly implies that much of Mexico is unsafe for visitors and residents, and which is devastating our economy.Some reporters, stories and outlets have been responsible and balanced, including some of those who know this area best. Many, perhaps most, have not.

The war that Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon has launched against drug cartels (which are fed in part by a $38 billion yearly U.S. drug market) is indeed a serious one, one of vital concern for both our countries.

We welcome and invite serious and analytical coverage of this struggle. Such coverage can be of significant help to both countries, which have much at stake. What we don’t welcome is inaccurate, sensationalized, unbalanced and unfair coverage, which provides no insight but only promotes fear and misunderstanding. There has been far too much of this and it continues largely unabated.

Some media reports are simply biased and inaccurate. They are from individuals or media outlets that have an agenda against Mexico and will publish anything to promote it, whether or not it is true. What is more troubling are reports from mainstream media that present an unbalanced, superficial and worrisome portrait of what life is like in Mexico, including Baja, California.

This is sometimes done because sensationalism sells; other times because of lack of understanding: many reporters never even visit. At other times, the situation in one city is presented as if it represents all of Mexico, a vast country.

Reports repeatedly talk of 6,000 drug-related deaths in Mexico in 2008. (That surely is a troubling number, as is the existence of organized crime and the corruption it has caused. We’ve had to work hard in Rosarito to clean it up and it is a continuing challenge.) But what the reports don’t mention when they talk of killings is that Mexico is an immense country of 110 million people.

The reports often don’t mention that while some law enforcement personnel have been killed, cartel members primarily are killing each other as it becomes harder for them to do business, as they fight each other for shrinking territories.

What the reports also don’t mention is that in 2008, according to MSNBC, the murder rate in New Orleans was much higher than that of Tijuana. (Yet you will not see many if any stories warning people not to go to New Orleans. Much of the U.S. media uses far different standards when reporting stories outside the U.S.).

More troubling, the reports seldom state clearly that 90 percent or more of the killings in Mexico are drug-related. The typical resident is not targeted, nor is the visitor. As in New Orleans --- as in gang wars in Los Angeles --- the tourist is not the target.

Yet, those who watch or read many sensationalized media reports in the U.S. have become afraid to visit our region of Mexico, where tourism has dropped more than 50 percent, a reduction that has caused painful economic hardship here.

Sometimes reports cite, out of context, the U.S. State Department alert concerning travel to Mexico, indicating it advises people not to go.

In fact, while noting that drug-related violence has increased recently in Mexico, the alert (not a warning) in part advises “common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate businesses and tourist areas.’ That’s good advice for travelers most anywhere.

The U.S. State Department also notes that “millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year (including thousands who cross the U.S. land border every day for study, tourism or business).” You can read the entire alert on the U.S. Customs website.

Our many frequent visitors and expatriate residents (we have 14,000 in Rosarito alone) are among those who speak strongly of feeling secure here. They know the situation first-hand --- not from media reports.

This is not to say that Mexico does not have some crime problems, or that no visitor or U.S. resident will ever be victim of a crime in Mexico. With more than 20 million annual visitors and hundreds of thousands of expatriate residents, a crime will occasionally happen, just as it does in the U.S. and other countries.

But that is rare here.

More typical is the experience of Jack Flynn, owner of the Professional Longboard Association, who is a part-time Rosarito resident and has been coming here for decades to surf. He never has had one problem. He encourages people --- including fellow surfers --- to come see for themselves.

A graduate-level public affairs class at Emerson College, a prestigious communications school in Boston, recently began doing a study on U.S. coverage of Mexico. Already it has found many instances of sensationalism and bias, including from some prestigious media outlets from which better should be expected.

No one at Emerson is getting paid for this project. It is being conducted because the professor of the class, Gregory Payne, saw a vast difference between life in Rosarito, where his family has a home, and what the media was reporting.

He simply could not recognize the safe and enjoyable Rosarito he knows first-hand from the one he was encountering in media reports. He knows that with recent changes, Rosarito probably is safer than ever --- despite the impression created by many media reports.

We hope the Emerson project, along with other efforts and the media’s self-examination of its own reporting, will result in fairer coverage in the future. In the meantime, please talk to those who know the area first-hand --- or visit yourself --- to get an accurate picture.

Right now, you’re not getting one from many media reports.

(Hugo Torres is in his second three-year term as Mayor of Rosarito, which he began in December of 2007. Since taking office he has reformed the police force, adding a special tourist police force, and an office for visitor assistance.)

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Recent Survey Results Support that Mexico is a Safe Tourist Destination


Recent Survey Results Support that Mexico is a Safe Tourist Destination
Results are contrary to media and consumers' misconceptions

MILWAUKEE, March 18, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The recently updated Mexico Travel Alert has been broadly misinterpreted by media and consumers. The alert does not discourage U.S. citizens from traveling to Mexico, but instead encourages travelers to take common sense precautions to ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable. To get a pulse on how vacationers who recently returned from Mexico felt about their safety and experience, The Mark Travel Corporation (parent company to Funjet Vacations) initiated and aggregated a consumer survey.

From March 6 - 15, 2009, more than 900 responses were received from travelers who took a vacation to Mexico between October 2008 and March 2009. The results were overwhelmingly positive with 97% of those surveyed indicating they would return to Mexico for another vacation and 90% of all respondents agreeing to the statement "I felt safe and secure." Of the respondents who agreed to feeling safe and secure, 92% traveled in 2009 and 88% traveled in 2008, indicating that a growing number of travelers felt safe and secure in Mexico in 2009.
There were some travelers, only 9%, who indicated they felt unsafe at some time during their vacation in Mexico and less than 1% of respondents felt unsafe while on the resort property. The vast majority of reasons for feeling unsafe reflected isolated concerns that were not related to personal or physical safety.
The majority of respondents vacationed in Cancun/Riviera Maya, the most popular leisure destination in Mexico, which is more than 1,300 miles from the nearest U.S./Mexico border town referred to in the updated Mexico Travel Alert. Other respondents also vacationed in major tourist destinations including Puerto Vallarta, Cozumel, Los Cabos, Ixtapa, Acapulco and Mazatlan. These destinations are a minimum of 375 miles (the distance from Mazatlan to Chihuahua) from any U.S./Mexico border town. To view a map of Mexico that includes tourist destinations, border towns and mileage, visit Mexico-Update.com, a Web site recently launched by the Mexico Tourism Board to address travelers' questions about travel and safety in Mexico.

"The survey respondents confirmed Funjet's position that Mexico continues to be an amazing, safe and fun vacation destination. The results should give other travelers confidence to plan a Mexico vacation," stated Mike Going, President of Funjet Vacations. "We encourage consumers to get the facts about the Mexico Travel Alert from their travel agent or Funjet.com/pressroom. The concentration of drug cartel violence that caused the U.S. Department of State to update the alert is hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of miles away from Cancun, Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and other main tourist areas."

There was no incentive or giveaway associated with the survey and travel agents were encouraged to send it to any of their clients who recently returned from Mexico and traveled with Funjet Vacations or another tour operator.

For more information on the Mexico Travel Alert consumers should contact a local travel agent, visit Funjet.com/pressroom or call 1-888-558-6654. To book a Funjet vacation to Mexico, travelers should contact their local travel agent or Funjet.com.

Posted: Friday, March 20, 2009 3:03 PM by Kanoa Biondolillo www.baja123.com

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Readers weigh in on Mexico


By Catharine Hamm
March 22, 2009 - Las Angeles Times

Question: Should student Sarah Tjoa go to Cancún, Mexico, for spring break? She posed that question in a letter to the Travel section, and in the March 15 "On the Spot," we asked readers to weigh in. Here is some of what they had to say.

We just returned from a wonderful vacation on the Riviera Nayarit, one of many trips we've taken to Mexico in the last 30-plus years. We felt very safe everywhere we went. You can be a victim of crime at home or anywhere in the world. What is most important is to be knowledgeable about where you are and to exercise good common sense.
--Gail Mitsui, Glendale
::

As a travel agent and lover of Mexico vacations, I think the reader is being overly cautious. I have traveled to Mexico five times since September 2006 and except for one time in Cabo where someone tried to sell me drugs, I have never felt unsafe, even by myself. (I'm in my mid-20s). Follow the basic rules: Don't leave drinks unattended, watch your alcohol intake (and don't do drugs), don't walk alone at night, use reputable tour companies when traveling outside the city, etc. and you should be fine.
--Darlene Anderson, Portland, Ore.
::

Recent conflicts have been in Mexican border towns hundreds of miles from Cancún and the Riviera Maya. Unfortunately, most Americans are ignorant of the geography of Mexico. They do not know that Mexico is three times the size of Texas. If we had unrest in Los Angeles (riots, gang wars, earthquakes) would you cancel your vacation or meeting/convention in Chicago? I do not think so. In the end, it comes down to common sense.
--Larry J. Pagac, Barcelo Hotels & Resorts, Redondo Beach
::

My husband and I went to Ensenada for three nights during winter break. We caught a bus down south. Tijuana felt deserted and desperate, but the bus ride was surprisingly pleasant (motor coach with movie and bathroom) and Ensenada did not feel unsafe. The tourist strip was clean and inviting at all hours, and during the day we even wandered within a mile radius or so to visit the stores and loncherias where locals eat, and we never once felt in harm's way. (And the food was far more satisfying than at the tourist restaurants.)

There was a shooting death in Tijuana while we were in Ensenada, but we never felt that such a thing was imminent. I would encourage people to open their hearts and minds to travel in the non-border towns of Mexico once again.
--Crystal Reed, Santa Monica
::

You can never take caution too far when traveling. It's not as though all these young, inexperienced travelers would stick out, carry money or leave their best judgment at home. . . .

Is it going to take 10,000 or 20,000 lives before we adopt a pro-active mind-set on the drug wars?
--Rhys Logan, Bellingham, Wash.
::

My wife is from Morelia, Michoacán. We try to go down there at least once a year or every other year with our two kids. We're going for two weeks this summer and everybody is looking forward to it. Sure I get the jitters; I try not to think about too much about everything that's going on. I want my kids to enjoy going to Mexico and to appreciate the food, language, music and culture. I don't want them to grow up in fear that something bad can happen when they go to Mexico. I also like knowing that my money is helping others to keep a job (airlines, taxi, restaurants, etc.).

When we go out, I carry only what we're going to spend that day and that's it. Leave the American Express at home. Even though it is good advice to be aware of your surroundings, I don't stress out about it too much, because I won't enjoy it. Hey, you have to be aware of your surroundings here in L.A.; it's not that much different.

I would recommend that the reader take that trip to enjoy the culture of the Maya and to stimulate the Mexican economy. They need it so much more than we do. Just don't flash your jewels, fancy cameras or anything that's going to make you an easy target.
--Jose Luis Carlos, La Puente
::

That reader should go. I can't speak for Cancún, but I don't think the Maya country is a problem.

We recently spent eight days in Yucatán, traveling in a group of eight with a Maya-speaking American anthropologist and a local guide. The trip logistics were organized by EcoTurismo Yucatan, a Mérida-based company. We stayed in Mérida, Chichén Itzá, Cobá, Valladolid and Uxmal and visited many other sites, some major, some minor, all fascinating. We saw police checkpoints, but no other evidence of lawlessness. Saturday night in Mérida in the winter is an all-night fiesta with food, music and families out and about on the central plaza. Whatever the problems the drug war is causing in parts of Mexico, they don't seem to be an issue in the Yucatán. I guess she's stuck with Cancún, but if she really wants to see the Mayan sites, she should get out as soon as she can and visit the real Yucatán.

The Mayan people will make her feel welcome.
--Chris Taber, Palm Springs