Travel Tracks: *Not So Much* ~ by Dave Heron

Worried about travelling to Mexico?


Took a while to get this article fired up as I first had to locate the seldom used soap box.
It'd been a while since I set it up on a street corner but here goes kids.
Jogging is fundamentally a safe pastime for millions of runaholics.
Jogging in the midst of vehicular traffic while sipping on Jack Daniels?
Not so much.
Same goes for leisurely strolling the Champs Elysees of Paris on a warm Spring day.
Wandering the streets of Nairobi at night?
Not so much.
And so here we are yet once again wrestling with the issue of Safety in Mexico.
For years, tourists from all four corners have flocked to a variety of Mexican beach resorts for a week's worth of sun, sand and the odd Tequila.
Twenty million per year is the number being bantered about which over say, 10 years, is some 200 million visitors.
With somewhere in the region of 50 “incidents” involving tourists – ranging from injury and/or death as a result of violence, natural disasters, accidents etc, statistically the safety record for tourists in Mexico appears safer than the same stats for joggers over the past 10 years.
Safety in Mexican shanty towns along the US Border where the cartels operate?
No so much.
Statistics however are of little meaning to someone who finds themselves a victim of a violent act, whether it be at a resort in Mexico, a parking lot in Calgary or while clinging to the side of a cruise ship off the coast of Italy.
And with headlines boosting the sale of mainstream newspapers through the reporting of yet another incident occurring in a Mexican resort, Canadians are certainly justified in second guessing their risk management when it comes to a planned Mexican holiday.
Statistics notwithstanding.
Is what appears to be an increase in violent acts at Mexican tourist spots reflective of Mexico's safety record?
Or is it perhaps indicative of the safety record of foreign owned resorts located in Mexico that lure the masses at low cost into an environment where “all you can drink 24/7” defines the environment?
Far be it for me to suggest that resorts should go alcohol free – were that to be the case resorts in Puerto Vallarta would find themselves on equal footing with the hotel in Shaktoolik Alaska.
And the potential for Alaskan getaways in February?
Not so much.
What is however coming to light is when an incident occurs, the credibility of both the mainstream media and Mexican law enforcement officials is leaving much to be desired in the minds of many.
The headlines designed to maximize both the visual impact as well as the advertising revenue scream out *ANOTHER INCIDENT IN PARADISE* whereas the initial conclusion of Mexican officials, usually within an hour of the occurrence declares *THE BUTLER DID IT*.
Neither approach is doing much more than exacerbating an already inflamed situation.
Unquestionably when an incident occurs, the media in fact has a responsibility to report the matter as they know it to be at that time.
The problem however is that months later, when details emerge that perhaps shed a different light on the circumstance, the story typically gets very little coverage as a result of other more compelling headlines stealing the spotlight.
Mexican officials on the other hand are at the point where their off the cuff comments inferring “ All is well – come to Mexico – it's safe” are about as credible as Peter MacKay's explanation of his helicopter episode to a local fishing camp.
“We were testing the search and rescue capabilities”
Uh - not so much.
Travel professionals are frankly uncomfortable these days when it comes to dismissing the barrage of violence as being a “rare occurrence”.
Statistically – visiting Mexico's still safer than driving the Deerfoot however I for one am not a huge fan of the Deerfoot when there's a viable alternative.
Mexico – or anywhere else for that matter, is as safe or unsafe as our individual behavior patterns induce it to be.
Changes however as to how risk management is handled are needed immediately in order to both protect the Mexican Tourism industry as well as to protect those visitors innocently caught up in the increasing levels of violence that have crept into Paradise. Catch part 2 next issue for some suggestions to both officials and visitors.



Adios until next time
Dave Heron

Dave Heron is the owner and operator of: Pace Setter Travel & Tours (1995) Inc; P.O. Box 612, 70 McRae Street, Okotoks.
Tel: 403.938.5454
Toll Free: 1.800.206.7223.
Fax: 403.938.5568
Email: Took a while to get this article fired up as I first had to locate the seldom used soap box.
It'd been a while since I set it up on a street corner but here goes kids.
Jogging is fundamentally a safe pastime for millions of runaholics.
Jogging in the midst of vehicular traffic while sipping on Jack Daniels?
Not so much.
Same goes for leisurely strolling the Champs Elysees of Paris on a warm Spring day.
Wandering the streets of Nairobi at night?
Not so much.
And so here we are yet once again wrestling with the issue of Safety in Mexico.
For years, tourists from all four corners have flocked to a variety of Mexican beach resorts for a week's worth of sun, sand and the odd Tequila.
Twenty million per year is the number being bantered about which over say, 10 years, is some 200 million visitors.
With somewhere in the region of 50 “incidents” involving tourists – ranging from injury and/or death as a result of violence, natural disasters, accidents etc, statistically the safety record for tourists in Mexico appears safer than the same stats for joggers over the past 10 years.
Safety in Mexican shanty towns along the US Border where the cartels operate?
No so much.
Statistics however are of little meaning to someone who finds themselves a victim of a violent act, whether it be at a resort in Mexico, a parking lot in Calgary or while clinging to the side of a cruise ship off the coast of Italy.
And with headlines boosting the sale of mainstream newspapers through the reporting of yet another incident occurring in a Mexican resort, Canadians are certainly justified in second guessing their risk management when it comes to a planned Mexican holiday.
Statistics notwithstanding.
Is what appears to be an increase in violent acts at Mexican tourist spots reflective of Mexico's safety record?
Or is it perhaps indicative of the safety record of foreign owned resorts located in Mexico that lure the masses at low cost into an environment where “all you can drink 24/7” defines the environment?
Far be it for me to suggest that resorts should go alcohol free – were that to be the case resorts in Puerto Vallarta would find themselves on equal footing with the hotel in Shaktoolik Alaska.
And the potential for Alaskan getaways in February?
Not so much.
What is however coming to light is when an incident occurs, the credibility of both the mainstream media and Mexican law enforcement officials is leaving much to be desired in the minds of many.
The headlines designed to maximize both the visual impact as well as the advertising revenue scream out *ANOTHER INCIDENT IN PARADISE* whereas the initial conclusion of Mexican officials, usually within an hour of the occurrence declares *THE BUTLER DID IT*.
Neither approach is doing much more than exacerbating an already inflamed situation.
Unquestionably when an incident occurs, the media in fact has a responsibility to report the matter as they know it to be at that time.
The problem however is that months later, when details emerge that perhaps shed a different light on the circumstance, the story typically gets very little coverage as a result of other more compelling headlines stealing the spotlight.
Mexican officials on the other hand are at the point where their off the cuff comments inferring “ All is well – come to Mexico – it's safe” are about as credible as Peter MacKay's explanation of his helicopter episode to a local fishing camp.
“We were testing the search and rescue capabilities”
Uh - not so much.
Travel professionals are frankly uncomfortable these days when it comes to dismissing the barrage of violence as being a “rare occurrence”.
Statistically – visiting Mexico's still safer than driving the Deerfoot however I for one am not a huge fan of the Deerfoot when there's a viable alternative.
Mexico – or anywhere else for that matter, is as safe or unsafe as our individual behavior patterns induce it to be.
Changes however as to how risk management is handled are needed immediately in order to both protect the Mexican Tourism industry as well as to protect those visitors innocently caught up in the increasing levels of violence that have crept into Paradise. Catch part 2 next issue for some suggestions to both officials and visitors.



Adios until next time
Dave Heron

Dave Heron is the owner and operator of: Pace Setter Travel & Tours (1995) Inc; P.O. Box 612, 70 McRae Street, Okotoks.
Tel: 403.938.5454
Toll Free: 1.800.206.7223.
Fax: 403.938.5568
Email: pacesetter@nucleus.com