BULVERDE, TX— Travel & Tourism industry professionals conducting business in Mexico are up in arms about recent media coverage of alleged escalations of violence along Mexico’s border.
(Last month the US State Department issued an advisory stating in part,” Drug-related violence in the country has increased recently and the area of greatest concern is along the U.S. border.” The advisory recommends U.S. citizens to "exercise caution in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surroundings at all times.”)
Emilio Kifuri, founder and owner of Canyon Travel specializing specializing in eco and sustainable tourism in the Sierra Madre Copper Canyon region says the advisory is little more than a reminder for travelers to use common sense, calling it “good advice for anyone traveling to any destination, domestic or international.”
HeÂ’s frustrated by what he views as an American media focusing on any and every episode of violence throughout Mexico including crimes from the capital region of Mexico City where the population exceeds 22 million people! Kifuri fears his business may suffer despite an impeccable safety record. Canyon Travel has operated in the Sierra Madre for more than forty years, safely guiding tens of thousands of travelers throughout NW Mexico without ever encountering any violence.
Nancy Harrison also believes the advisory has been blown out of proportion. Founder & Partner of Adventure Travel Media Source, recognized as the nation’s premier provider of media relations for the active travel industry, she recently issued this statement: “Our clients have hosted hundreds of thousands of tourists on wilderness trips and tours around the world for decades in relative safety. Traveling with an operator who lives and works in the area provides travelers with safety and protection…I feel totally comfortable in inviting those who wish to travel to this beautiful area of the world to book their trip and put their minds at ease.”
Travel Weekly magazine hosted an emergency webcast earlier this month to address concerns of travel agents and consumers in light of what they call “negative media coverage of escalated drug-related violence south of the border.” Editor of the leading publication for the travel agency industry, Arnie Weissmann moderated a panel of industry experts discussing the situation. In a press release following the panel, "Travel Weekly" stated, “The broad consensus among panelists was that mass media coverage of violent clashes between drug cartels and police on the Mexico frontier, has been unfair, alarmist and distorted.”
In addition, Harrison and Kifuri, familiar with the history of drug related crime near the US Mexico border, are certain violence directed at visitors is highly unlikely. They say if foreign visitors were victimized, the Mexican police would immediately step up their presence around the borders even more; precisely what those involved with drug smuggling do not want to happen.
