Mexico Rides Out A Widely Publicized Crime Wave
<B> Mexico Rides Out A Widely Publicized Crime Wave</B>
By Suzanne Koudsi
Even amidst disturbing reports of Mexico City's recent crime wave against Americans, the city is striving to broaden its appeal.
Corporate travelers make up the majority of Mexico City's visitors, and while some used to bring their families and stay for the weekend, that is happening less and less, said Renza De Pirro, director of sales at the Sheraton Maria Isabel. People were used to feeling safe in Mexico, and those that have been there before cannot accept the fact that today basic security precautions are necessary.
While its reputation for safety never was impeccable, the recent and widespread bad publicity has the city reeling.
"The city has 52 low seasons--the weekends," said Eduardo Yarto, director of meetings and conventions at the newly formed tourism authority. One recent report estimated that hotel occupation levels reach 73 percent Mondays through Thursdays, but fall to a low of 39 percent on Saturdays.
Still, Mexican officials and local insiders in the hotel and airline industries maintained that crime in the city is no worse than crime in any other major city.
"These situations have been overblown and slanted and do not reflect the reality of today," Yarto told a group of travel agents and the media. "As in all major cities around the world, risks do exist." He suggested that travelers take the same precautions they would take anywhere else.
The U.S. State Department lists potential security threats to travelers in Mexico as part of its consular information sheet. The sheet cites taxicab crime, ATM card theft and general robbery as some of the primary threats, but does not advise people not to travel to Mexico. Still, the negative images hurt and have impacted travel to Mexico City.
Sending people to Mexico does not scare travel buyers though. It's no different than Hawaii or Jamaica, said one Kansas City, Mo.-based agent, adding that she would feel comfortable sending her clients to the city with a simple "heads up" about security issues. People traveling to any destination in Mexico typically ask about safety, but they do not seem too worried about it, said another travel buyer.
<B><CENTER>Securing A Safe Image</CENTER></B>
The Mexico City Tourism Authority agreed that crime is no worse here than in any other large city. Last year, the public ministry for tourism received 1,509 complaints, which Yarto said affected only .0007 percent of international visitors to the city.
Mexican authorities also have begun to implement tighter security measures, which will include more training for police officers, traveler access to legal services and increased cooperation with the embassies. Yarto also said that bilingual police officers will be placed in high-traffic areas.
At the same time, local hotels have implemented a 2 percent lodging tax, which will apply to promotion of the city and enhanced security, De Pirro said.
Although crime levels have drawn a lot of attention to Mexico, travel agents do not see it as the primary deterrent for international travelers. While Mexico City suffers from a low volume of leisure travel, other Mexican resorts, primarily beach resorts such as Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas, still attract throngs of Americans each year.
Outside of its efforts to assure travelers they will remain safe in the city, the Mexico City Tourism Authority wants to encourage more travelers to extend their business trips to the destination and take time to explore its cultural offerings. The city's lodging choices, air traffic, dining and entertainment options offer everything from history and culture to a raging nightlife at modern discotheques, qualifying it as a "megalopolis," Yarto said.
The tourism authority, which was formed about a year ago, aims to enhance its service to visitors by installing information booths throughout the city's main tourist areas. The booths not only will provide information, but also a place to communicate potential complaints or concerns.