Is it safe to plan Mexico family vacations?

With summer vacations just around the corner, many of us are thinking about beaches.  And when I think about beaches, I think about all-inclusive resorts.

Living in Texas, Mexico is always top of mind, because 1) it’s close with many direct flights under 3 hours 2) it’s a great value 3) it has MANY all-inclusive resort options.

But is it safe to take our families here?

Absolutely!

Let me start that question, with a couple of  statistics:

• According to a recent U.S. State department report on deaths of U.S. citizens in Cancun and Puerto Vallarta by non-natural causes, there was one.
• For comparison sake, In 2011, there were 11 murders per 100,000 people in Dallas, Texas…and that’s after several years of decreases (down from 49 in 1991).
• In 2011, there were 23.7 murders per 100,000 in Kansas City.

According to Mexico’s Secretary of  Tourism, Gloria Guevera, business from North American tourists grew by 18.4 percent, despite the many ups and downs for the destination between 2006 and 2011.

Travelers who are worried about violence should know that Mexico’s resort areas remain mostly unscathed.  The news reports that we see on T.V. are from the border towns and hundreds of miles from the resort areas that families are visiting.

Funjet president, Mike Going says,

“It’s not to say problems don’t exist. But the hype and nervousness, over resort areas such as Cancun and the Riviera Maya to the south, are essentially unfounded.”

Quoted from USA Today,“The safest people here are the tourists,” Erandeni Abundis of the Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau says over lunch at a restaurant overlooking the famously aquamarine sea. “We depend on tourism. We couldn’t afford to lose it.” 

To accommodate Americans, visitors now can dial 911 in Cancun for emergencies instead of the 066 that locals use, she says.

Abundis says “not one” Cancun tourist has been killed in drug-cartel-related violence. The state of Quintana Roo, which includes Cancun and the resort-populated Riviera Maya, accounts for more than 50% of Mexico’s income from international tourism, says Jesus Almaguer, CEO of the Cancun visitors bureau.”

The culture of the people in Mexico is such that service is considered an honor.  As a result, the service at the resorts is generally impeccable.   They are genuinely welcoming you into their country to flavor their culture, cuisine and beauty of their land.

And we mentioned value.  In Mexico, the U.S. dollar goes far.  Currently, the exchange rate is 12 U.S. dollars to 1 Mexican Peso.  So you can buy more with your buck.

To give you an idea of  all-inclusive vacation package comparisons:  a five-star resort in the Caribbean will cost about $4,300, compared to a five-star resort in Mexico’s Riviera Maya at $3,200 or $2,700 in Puerto Vallarta AND they are closer to home (in Texas).  Pretty good value, right?

So, go ahead and plan those Mexico family vacations! 

Just  remember, anytime you travel, it’s always good to pack your sunscreen, common sense, be aware of your surroundings and keep track of your belongings.  Millions of tourists visit the Mexican Caribbean every year with no problems and return home relaxed, tan and with memories that will last a lifetime.

If you would like help planning your Cancun family vacation, please send us an email at info@CruiseTherapy.net or fill out our Vacation Request Form for a FREE quote!