Is traveling to Mexico dangerous: where Americans should not go at all

This week's kidnapping and murder of U.S. travelers in the Mexican city of Matamoros, just across the border from Brownsville, Texas, has drawn attention to violence in a country that welcomes millions of foreign visitors every year. CNN.

Photo: IStock

And as the holiday season begins at popular beach resorts in the west and south of the country, safety is likely to come first.

Here's what you need to know about travel safety in Mexico.

Travel Alerts

There are 32 states in Mexico, and the US State Department gave recommendations "do not travel" for six of them, including the state of Tamaulipas, where Matamoros is located.

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Zachary Rabinor, founder and CEO of travel company Journey Mexico, notes that this week's violence took place away from some of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico, in a state that has long been under a US State Department travel ban warning.

“For comparison, Matamoros is located about 2200 km from Cancun. That's about the distance from the Texas border to Chicago, Illinois," said Rabinor, whose company creates custom luxury rides.

Seven Mexican states are listed one level down in the State Department's "reconsider travel" category, and 17 are in the "exercise extra caution" list.

"Crime and kidnapping" is listed as a reason for warnings in some states in each of these three categories, including Tamaulipas. In the rest of the recommendations, "crime" is listed as a reason to either not travel, or change your mind, or exercise caution.

"Take Usual Precautions" is a guide for the states of Campeche and Yucatan in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Countries including Canada and the UK also have detailed travel warnings for Mexico.

Knowing the situation wherever you go

Playa del Carmen and Cancun, which await an influx of spring break travelers, are located in the state of Quintana Roo, where the State Department advises travelers to "exercise extra caution due to crime and kidnapping."

Rabinor highlighted other popular destinations with recommendations to "exercise extra caution", including France and the Bahamas. France receives a warning due to possible terrorism and civil unrest. Crime is listed as a reason for caution in the Bahamas.

The State Department notes in its Quintana Roo State Bulletin that violence and criminal activity can take place anywhere, "including popular tourist destinations."

It is relatively safe for travelers to travel to tourist destinations and major urban centers such as Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

“Travellers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illegal activities are taking place, and leave potentially dangerous areas immediately,” the bulletin warns.

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These popular resort areas are still reasonably safe, says Jaime López-Aranda, senior security manager at tourism risk management firm International SOS.

“It is relatively safe for travelers to travel to tourist destinations and major urban centers such as Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey,” Lopez-Aranda said.

Lopez-Aranda lives in Mexico City, where petty crime is a constant risk and precautions should be taken, "but the most popular destinations are relatively safe for all kinds of travelers."

Journey Mexico has more than 50 employees who constantly monitor potential risks, Rabinor said.

“We are confident that with proper preparation and communication, travel to and within Mexico will continue to be a great option,” he said.

Passenger arrivals on international flights in January were up 13% from January 2019, before the pandemic swept the world.

Precautions and planning

Caution and situational awareness are key across the country and around the world.

Lopez-Aranda says that for travel in Mexico, precautions may include:

• Travel with a trusted driver in a private vehicle.
• Travel only during daylight hours outside urban centers or high-risk areas.
• Avoid dangerous places in big cities.
• Avoid traveling alone.
• Stay up to date with news and government alerts.
• Make sure your mobile device is charged.

All of these tips are steps to be taken at the destination, but most of the work to make your trip as safe as possible is done before anything is booked.

"You'll want to study the safety and health risks of the places you're considering and make sure you're confident in your housing, transportation, communications, and security arrangements," Lopez-Aranda says.

“It is important that you share all plans with friends and family at home. While traveling, you should also stay in constant communication to ensure safety and discuss any potential risks that may arise,” he says.

And you should have copies of your documents, the contact information of your country's embassy or consulate, and the location of the nearest hospital. Insurance is also key.

Trust your intuition

The Journey Mexico website has links to US Department of State bulletins, as well as travel advice for citizens of other countries, including the UK and Australia.

The company also celebrates conflicts between rival criminal organizations in various areas of Mexico in its own report "Is Mexico safe?"

“Although these conflicts can be unpredictable, they almost always occur between organized crime groups and are very rare in tourist areas,” the report said.

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The site also lists precautions travelers can take to avoid pickpocketing or robbery, including only using ATMs in safe locations, hiring reliable private vehicles, not wearing expensive jewelry, and avoiding deserted, unlit places.

If you feel uncomfortable, try to immediately move away from the situation or the people around you, as Lopez-Aranda says.

Because "intuition is often right."

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• 4 US citizens went missing March 3 following an attack and kidnapping in Matamoros, Mexico.
• State Department released warning about the dangers of holidays in Mexico.
• On March 7, it became known that four Americans abducted in Mexico were found: two are killed the survivors are in the hospital.

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