The U.S. State Department has issued multiple travel advisories for Mexico, including an alert specific to spring break travelers in March 2023.
But despite the State Department’s warnings, Americans continue to flock to Mexico in record-breaking numbers.
Here’s why Mexico remains the most popular destination for American travelers in spite of numerous safety warnings and advisories:
U.S. State Department Advisories For Mexico
Currently, the U.S. State Department has travel advisories in place for almost every single state in Mexico. These advisories range in severity from “Do Not Travel” to “Reconsider Travel” to “Exercise Increased Caution.”
Only two states (Yucatan and Campeche) have the lowest rating, “Exercise Normal Precautions.”
This means that many of the most popular destinations in Mexico are currently under travel advisories due to crime and kidnapping threats.
For example, Jalisco and Baja California are both states where travelers should “Reconsider Travel.” But these states are home to the incredibly popular destinations of Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos, respectively.
Rather than reconsidering travel, Americans are actually booking trips to these destinations in record numbers.
Similarly, the U.S. State Department recommends that travelers “Exercise Increased Caution” in Quintana Roo, the state that’s home to popular beach destinations like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum.
But Cancun hotels remain packed, despite warnings for tourists. Some hotels are even struggling to keep up with skyrocketing demand and can’t hire staff fast enough.
Should Travelers Really Be Concerned?
While U.S. State Department advisories should not be flat-out ignored, they should be taken with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to blanket warnings for entire states.
Suggesting that tourists should “Reconsider Travel” to entire states like Jalisco or Baja California is misleading. While there may be certain towns or regions within the state that are dangerous for tourists, popular destinations like Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos are perfectly safe.
Even states like Sinaloa that fall under the most severe “Do Not Travel” warning have areas that are totally safe for tourists, such as Mazatlan.
Although it’s true that popular destinations in Mexico have occasional issues with crimes against tourists, it’s not enough that American travelers should have safety concerns while visiting the country.
Rather, tourists should follow the advice of the U.S. State Department and “maintain a high level of situational awareness” but otherwise travel as normal.
The Mexican president even stated recently that Mexico is safer than the U.S. in response to the harsh safety warnings the U.S. State Department released about Mexico.
Why Americans Keep Flocking To Mexico
Despite safety concerns and travel warnings, why do Americans keep flocking to Mexico in record numbers?
At the end of the day, Mexico has a ton to offer to American tourists.
For starters, it’s easily accessible, with short and affordable flights from dozens of cities across the United States. For example, nearly 40 cities across the U.S. offer nonstop flights to Cancun.
Mexico also remains an affordable destination for U.S. travelers. Although prices have been rising in some popular beach destinations, there are still great deals available on hotels and all-inclusive resorts, especially in comparison with comparable vacations in the United States.
There’s also just so much to do in Mexico for every type of traveler.
Whether you’re looking for a relaxed beach getaway or you want to experience cities and culture, Mexico truly has it all.
There’s no denying that Mexico has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Tourists can also experience other unique sites, like Mayan ruins and jungle cenotes.
So despite the travel warnings from the U.S. State Department, Mexico continues to remain the most popular international travel destination for Americans for these reasons.
