Drug Wars Slashing Mexico Tourism

San Antonio Express-News ^ | THURSDAY April 24 | Sean Mattson

[Niteflyr]

Monterrey, Mexico — The last thing Debra Fassold's travel business needed was another warning to tourists about violence in Mexico.

But it came last Monday, when the State Department updated its travel alert for Mexico, telling U.S. visitors to be cautious due to continued narcotics gang violence south of the border.

Recent years of violence along the Texas-Mexico border — and the bad press about it — have hammered Fassold's family-run, South Padre Island-based Original Tours Co., which takes tourists to the border cities of Matamoros, Nuevo Progreso and deeper into Mexico.

Business is off by about 40 percent from a few years ago, Fassold said.

"Any time that the government posts one of those advisories, the warning flags go up for the traveler," she said.

[goodnesswins]

Who wants to go to Mexico? It came here....

[Niteflyr]

Coming to your American city soon!

Today's news was filled with incidents of violence south of the border...on one program the streets in Tijuana which were formerly filled with American touristas are all but empty...gee...wonder why?

[Niteflyr]

I went there once years ago and made a vow never to go to that hell hole again...I didn’t think it was going to follow me back here....

[Niteflyr]

Northern Mexico has been hit particularly hard, with outbreaks of violence in most major border cities. The occasional resulting shootouts have been "equivalent to military small-unit combat," the State Department alert noted.

How lovely...and we're worried about the war in the middle east....

[Tammy8]

Amazing that a little thing like bullets flying would keep away the tourists.

[Joe Boucher]

Mexico, like Cuba is a very diverse and beautiful country.
Soon, when all the folks finish coming here from both countries I plan on visiting both.
I figure the roads will be empty and the best tourist sights will be empty. All the folks will be here.
Maybe by mid summer.

[Niteflyr]

Mexico, like Cuba is a very diverse and beautiful country. Soon, when all the folks finish coming here from both countries I plan on visiting both. I figure the roads will be empty and the best tourist sights will be empty. All the folks will be here. Maybe by mid summer.

I will say this...Mexico as geography is a beautiful place...if it wasn't for the government and inhabitants it would be a great vacation destination...so I think your plan has some merit...

[Niteflyr]

Amazing that a little thing like bullets flying would keep away the tourists.

Yes...and even my co-worker who is a major off-road enthusiast and fan of the SCORE and Baja 1000 races and goes there often...said today he is planning on going to events in the US and avoiding the Mexican ones because it has just become too much of a free-for-all and too dangerous...even the event websites are issuing warning to racers and spectators as of late...