Mexico continues to be a mega-popular destination, particularly for American travelers this summer. It’s always wise to check the latest travel advisories before packing up and boarding your flight.
While travel hasn’t slowed down at all to Mexico’s beach destinations, local officials in 3 of the most popular beach cities are increasing their security presence.
Crime is always a tricky topic because nobody knows when or what will happen. It’s just a general consensus of what has happened lately.
Unfortunately, certain crimes take over headlines and can make a very safe place seem like a bad idea to visit, which hurts local economies and deprives travelers of wonderful experiences.
The last thing a country that thrives on tourism would want is a bad image to deter tourists from spending their dollars.
While most would say Mexico is generally safe to visit in many areas, the country is not taking any chances to alter that narrative.
Mexico is increasing security forces in these 3 beach destinations to protect tourists:
Playa Del Carmen
Municipal President Campos Miranda is taking action to protect tourists in Playa Del Carmen. Not only will 20 elements be added to current forces, but she wants the Navy to create a stronger presence too.
This has happened once before, but the state of Quintana Roo overruled military strong-arming.
What is different now is more tourist areas are seeing an increase in crime, which not only makes tourists uneasy but has also sadly been fatal in rare instances.
It’s the classic “wrong place, wrong time” situation. According to Governor Lezama, head of the state of Quintana Roo, a minuscule percentage of tourists are actually victims.
The National Guard was deployed to Playa Del Carmen during a previous crime surge but has since left, but they are wanted back.
Whatever ultimately happens in the near future, tourists should know visiting Playa Del Carmen might look a little different with Navy ships in the background, more security officers, and the National Guard on patrol.
Cabo
Cabo is no stranger to adding security personnel to keep tourists safe. This is one of the most popular vacation destinations in North America, after all.
Crime goes up and down, but Cabo is well-positioned to keep its positive reputation. The summer season is here, which means travelers are scratching their itch for some beach time!
Cabo consistently assigns security enforces to ensure tourist safety, especially during a travel rush like Mexico is experiencing right now.
That’s why two dozen police officers are currently being trained and readied to keep Cabo as safe as it normally is.
One of the reasons Cabo is generally safe to visit is simply geography. It’s at the very southernmost point of Baja, separated by the Gulf of California away from mainland Mexico.
So, this region already had an edge compared to other Mexican hotspots. However, there are certain neighborhoods in Cabo not recommended for visitors:
- Santa Rosa
- Las Palmas
- Los Cangrejos
Cancun
Cancun continues to be a top destination for Western tourists, with Americans and Canadians flocking here throughout the year.
Those who have not been to this extremely popular beach escape probably picture amazing resorts and blue water.
These expectations are very true, but they also might see a heavy presence of police and military cruising the streets in and around the tourist zone.
Cancun is one of Mexico’s most prized possessions, so any bad word that leaks out can cause harm. Tourists to Cancun should feel safe knowing they are priority #1 here in terms of safety.
It is estimated approximately 100 new officers are being trained to continue to keep tourists safe. But an additional 100 officers is the goal, according to Municipal President Ana Patricia Peralta.
Cancun is not known for being a city with high numbers of crime, but sometimes tourists can be caught in the crosshairs of a bad situation.
Most often, violent crime stays outside the hotel zone, away from popular tourist attractions. With a higher-than-usual police presence expected, the likelihood of severe criminal acts taking place should decrease even more.
Vacationers might notice an increase in security cameras, drones, and watchtowers throughout the city later this summer as well.
