Thread: Violent Crime Threatens Baja California, Mexico Tourism

Monday, December 3, 2007



Violent Crime Threatens Baja California, Mexico Tourism



By Nancy Conroy



A spate of recent reports in the US press about carjackings, highway robberies and violent crime in Baja California, Mexico is threatening to destroy tourism. Over Thanksgiving weekend, few visitors arrived in Baja California and major tourist destinations were empty. Negative reports about Baja California crime are all over the Internet, with most people saying that they are sick of everything about Mexico and will never travel there again.



Tourism officials are currently conducting emergency meetings, and they are expected to make a public announcement within a week. But it is simple to predict what the officials are going to say. They will claim that the crime wave was a brief aberration, measures have been taken, and the problem has now been solved.



Believe that story at your peril.



Although the current crime wave has only now been reported by the US press, actually these violent attacks on tourists have been occurring at least since last summer. The reports currently coming out in San Diego are not necessarily new incidents. Some of them happened last August or September, when the last wave of carjackings hit the Baja California toll roads. The problem settled down in September and October, and then started up again with a vengeance in November.



There was also a rash of attacks and carjackings in August of 2006, but that one was covered up more effectively and most people have forgotten about it. But, “Baja 1000â€

Why am I not surprised? My travel agent told me people have stopped asking for mexico vacations, but she stopped selling them anyway.

ON TOP OF MEXICO BEING VERY DANGEROUS, SOME ARE BOYCOTTING ANYTHING MEXICAN....INCLUDING MEXICAN PRODUCTS SOLD IN USA.

NO REMITTANCES FROM USA, NO TOURISM. TWO HUGE HITS FOR MEXICO.

HE HE......MEXCIO....HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM BANANAS?

Men in Black
Baja’s New Tourist Attraction?

By Dudley Do Rite

Squadrons of armed commandos, the “Men in Blackâ€

Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid a certain country--Mexico is not on the list but feel it should be.

This is the current public announcement from the US Dept. of State concerning Mexico from the Bureau of Consular Affairs:....................

(Mexico seems to treat US tourists far worse than illegal immigrants are treated here.)

Vehicle Permits: Tourists wishing to travel beyond the border zone with their vehicle must obtain a temporary import permit or risk having their vehicle confiscated by Mexican customs officials. At present the only exceptions to the requirement are travel in the Baja Peninsula and in the state of Sonora only for vehicles entering through the Nogales port of entry. Travelers are advised that the “Sonora Onlyâ€