Sunday, January 8, 2012

Are Canadian tourists still safe in Mexico?



The recent murders of two Canadians in resort areas on Mexico's Pacific coast have once again raised questions about how safe the country is for Canadian tourists. While neither of these killings has been linked directly to the ongoing war among Mexico's powerful drug cartels, there can be no doubt that many Canadian snowbirds are thinking twice about visiting Mexico for fear of being swept up by the violence.

In an attempt to get some answers to the question of safety in Mexico, the CBC recently interviewed Walter McKay, a former Canadian police detective who is now a security consultant living in Mexico City. McKay has been keeping track of narco related violence in Mexico since 2006, and he maintains that Canadians who stick to tourist areas and stay away from the drug trade and other risky activities still have little to worry about. Included in the CBC interview is a useful list of some popular areas considered to be safe, not safe, and somewhere in between.

On a personal note, as someone has spent a lot of time in Mexico and who will continue to go there, I feel that much of the country remains secure for cautious and well informed travellers despite the daily grim reports. However, the current situation could deteriorate rapidly for Canadians if drug cartels start targeting foreign tourists and the Mexican tourism industry in general. But so far there is no real evidence of this happening (touch wood).

Traveler Safety in Mexico Map

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