Continuing the Conversation of Saftey in Mexico

Posted by & filed under Health and Safety, News, Virtuoso.

safety in mexicoWe recently posted an article called Virtuoso Statistics on Travel to Mexico that really sparked some interesting dialogue on the topic of safety in Mexico. When commenting on the article, JM President, Zachary Rabinor, was met with some frustration from colleagues in the States. We understand that the unrelenting negative media about safety in Mexico has instilled a sense of fear in some North American travelers, and we thought Zach’s response was worth re-posting:

“I’m out in front of travel agents, tour operators and the public all the time encouraging travel to Mexico, and yes, the general perception of Mexico, especially in the N. American market has never been worse. That being said, we can only offer objective, honest facts from on the ground here in Mexico. It’s not that there is not a real problem with drug traffic and the related violence; rather, it’s the disinformation and a misperceptin of the real risks associated with travel to Mexico that is the issue. As you well know, Mexico is a vast and diverse country and the whole country shouldn’t suffer due to problems in one town, area or region.

It’s also important to understand the true nature of the violence and the background and history leading up to it as well as the implications for the future. For good and for bad, the current administration’s campaign against organized crime and narco traffic in particular has created large power vacuums within Drug Cartels and between rival factions. This instability has created opportunities for up and comers within the organized crime organizations and between them and has resulted in a grab for power as well as a disintegration of the established rules that were in place during the long-standing rule of the PRI. That being said, the violence, which has spread beyond the border cities, is still relegated to intra and inter organized crime groups and members. SO… what this means for all of us is that if you are not coming to Mexico to buy / sell / traffic and/or participate in the illegal narcotic trade, you are just as safe as you always have been in Mexico and more or less as safe (or more safe) as you would be in many major N. American and European cities!

Obviously, this is a complex dynamic without an easy answer; however, one response we can all agree on (I hope!) is that we need to get the good news out there and help to educate people about what is really happening in all of the amazing destinations in our beautiful country.”

Because we are here, on the ground, in Mexico, we are always happy to address any questions/concerns about the current state of affairs. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, and please feel free to contact us via Facebook, Twitter, our Blog, or by email ([email protected]). You can also find our statement on security in Mexico as well as other articles relating to safety in Mexico in the Safety of Mexico section of our Blog.

Mexican Tourists not Deterred

Posted by & filed under Health and Safety, News.

The Economist posted a great article last Thursday titled: “Can’t Keep Them Away,” which offers some interesting statistics and facts on Mexican tourism. Below are some of the highlights:

Record Setting – “After an appalling 2009, in which the outbreak of swine flu emptied hotels overnight, the number of visitors this year will be close to 2008’s record total of 22.6 million”

Number 10 – “Even excluding 50 million annual day-trippers, Mexico remains the world’s tenth most-visited country”

Travelers Saving – “The average tourist this year has spent 5% less than in 2008, thanks to slashed hotel rates”

Safety – “Yucatán, home of some of the most-visited Mayan ruins, has a murder rate roughly equal to that of France”

Monetizing Crime – “Some of the most popular souvenirs in Chiapas today are T-shirts and chess sets featuring Subcomandante Marcos and co.” (a reference to Zapatista rebels, whose armed campaign against the government drove many tourists away during the 1990s)

Journey Mexico Statement on Violence and Security

Posted by & filed under Health and Safety.

Greetings from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!

Mexico remains a safe tourist destination despite the recent high-profile incidents involving violent crime.  These incidents have been largely relegated to the border region and areas that have intensive drug trafficking operations and cartel activity.  For the most part, these regions are not tourism centers and are concentrated along the US / Mexico border; Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, and Nogales have been specifically subject to unusually high rates of violent crime related to the drug trade.

We confidently recommend that travelers continue to visit Mexico’s tourism centers including the dazzling beach resorts of Cancun, Riviera Maya, Acapulco, Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo, Puerto Valalrta, and Los Cabos as well as its culturally fascinating interior destinations including but not limited to the Yucatan Peninsula, the Gulf States, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Mexico City, The Colonial Heartland, The Copper Canyon, and Baja California Peninsula.  It is important to recognize that Mexico is a vast country with extensive geography; risk in one area should not preclude travel within the whole country any more than risk in New York City should preclude visitation of the National Parks of the South West or a trip to Los Angeles.  Moreover, even within the same state, the events and conditions in one area should not be misconceived to create risk for travel within the whole of that state. Currently, while we would certainly caution travelers about travel to the border areas in the State of Chihuahua, we have no reason to dissuade travel to the Copper Canyon region of the same state.

This being said, we do still encourage all travelers to Mexico to take the normal precautions of being aware of their surroundings; directing visitation and purchases to legitimate business and known tourism areas; and leaving a clear itinerary with phone numbers to family and friends at home, while taking with you the contact phone number for your embassy or consulate closest to the area you will be visiting.  On our end, Journey Mexico continues to make ourselves aware of local conditions and assess any imminent or potential risk to our staff, clients, and partners; we have well developed risk management and contingency plans in case a situation is to arise or in the rare event that we decide to take preemptive action.  Now more than ever, Journey Mexico’s value is paramount. In addition to our knowledgeable and speedy trip planners, our seamless operational staff, our charming and expert guides and drivers, and our real time knowledge of conditions on the ground will contribute to ensure your safety, security, and peace of mind during your visit to Mexico.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly should you have any questions or comments or need further information.

Best regards,

Zach Rabinor
President
Journey Mexico
Tel: +52 (322) 225 9821
Fax: +52 (55) 1084-2946
Toll free US & CA: 1-800-513-1587

Atlas Alliance Launch Event

Posted by & filed under Adventure, News.

Journey Mexico was honored to be a part of the ATLAS Travel Alliance event in London on Nov. 8th to promote the launch of ATLAS – Active Travel Latin America Specialists. The ATLAS alliance is an association of eight like-minded, reputable, active travel specialist companies – all based in their country of operation and all committed to similar philosophies of sustainability and operating/safety standards.

In attendance of the event were government officials, tour operators, travel operators, press, and several major sponsors including Wanderlust, Footprints Travel Guides, Bradt Travel Guides, and the LATA association.

The goal of ATLAS is to increase the visibility of Latin America as one of the world’s premier active travel destination. The members of ATLAS are :

Pure Brasil by Venturas (Brazil) – www.purebrasil.net

Ecuador Adventure (Ecuador) – www.ecuadoradventure.ec

Journey Mexico (Mexico) – www.journeymexico.com

Amazonas Explorer (Peru) – www.amazonas-explorer.com

Wilderness Explorers (Guyana) – www.wilderness-explorers.com

Viaventure (Guatemala/Belize/Honduras) – www.viaventure.com

Kallpa Tour Operator (Argentina) – www.kallpatour.com

Cascada Expediciones (Chile) – www.cascada.travel

ATLAS provides a “one-stop-shop” to browse and build unforgettable active travel experiences throughout Latin America. In addition to adventure travel opportunities such as biking, mountaineering, rappelling, white water rafting, volcano climbing and more, ATLAS trips offer glimpses into the rich history of Latin America as well as opportunities to interact with its ancient cultures of the Kuna, the Maya, and the Quechua people who still live much as they did centuries ago. For more information, visit www.atlasadventure.travel!

Some Interesting Statistics about Travel to Mexico

Posted by & filed under News.

Safety of Mexico StatisticsTravel Weekly held a webinar yesterday called “Mexico: Facts vs. Perception” in which Mexico’s Minister of Tourism, Gloria Guevara, shed some interesting light on the safety of Mexico. The statements and statistics shown below were all taken from the webinar:

Volume – More than 21 million tourists visited Mexico last year, and more than 22 million tourists are projected to have visited Mexico by the end of 2010. This would be the equivalent of bringing the entire state of New York to Mexico, in terms of numbers.

Distance to Danger – The majority of the crime in Mexico being reported is taking place in a few northern border towns – mainly Ciudad Juarez. What most people don’t realize is just how far the main tourist cities in Mexico are from these border towns.

The Copper Canyon is the same distance from Juarez as New York is from Baltimore.

Cancun is about 1000 miles from Juarez – the same distance as New York to Birmingham, AL and there is almost an entire sea in between the two. Would you cancel a trip to NY because of crime in Baltimore or Birmingham?

Murder Rates – Washing DC’s murder rate is about 24 per 100,000. In 2009, Mexico’s murder rate was was about 12 per 100,000.

The Professionals’ Choice – The Virtuoso Luxury Travel Network holds an annual symposium in a different international city each year. This year’s conference was in Mexico City and was the fastest selling-out symposium ever with the lowest cancellation rate in the history of the event.

Customer Satisfaction – Out of 26,000 vacationers in Mexico polled in 2009, 97% were return visitors.

Olmec Exhibits in California

Posted by & filed under Culture, News.

via Travel Weekly

Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (LACMA) and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco have partnered to present Olmec: Colossal Masterworks of Ancient Mexico, which is an exhibition of giant stone heads carved from massive boulders by the Olmec people of Mexico’s Gulf Coast region.

The Olmecs, who existed sometime around 1400 BC and where centered around Veracruz, are considered Mexico’s oldest civilization. Olmec artists and architects are famous for their ability to carve statues from the extremely hard basalt stones of the region, out of which they would sculpt enormous profiles of the heads of their rulers. These heads, currently featured at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, weigh between 7 and 10 tons each!

Also featured in the exhibit are “small-scale jadeite objects that embody the symbolism of sacred and secular authority among the Olmec.” The exhibit will run in Los Angeles until Jan. 9th and is the first time these massive stone heads have been displayed in the US. From LA, the exhibition will travel north to San Francisco where it will run from Feb. 19th to May 8th.

The Return of Mexicana Airlines?

Posted by & filed under News.

The return of Mexicana AirlinesAccording to USA Today, the recently bankrupt Mexicana Airlines may be back in the sky before the year’s end. After ceasing operations in August, Mexicana said that they have decided to accept an investment/business plan from “a tiny Mexican boutique investment firm,” PC Capital.

Reportedly, this new plan needs to restructure $800 million of debt and will reduce Mexicana from a fleet of more than a hundred planes to about thirty. The new Mexicana will operate seven domestic routes and maintain seventeen international routes.

As has been the case throughout the downfall of Mexicana, this new plan’s success lies in the hands of the unions. For the rescue plan to go through, the unions will have to agree to a $155 million dollar bail-out proposal that, while just a fraction of the actual debt, would give the unions a stake in the resurrected Mexicana.

Be sure to “like” the Journey Mexico Facebook page and follow JourneyMexico on Twitter to receive further updates on revival of Mexicana airlines and other Mexican Travel industry news.

Puerto Vallarta’s International Gourmet Festival

Posted by & filed under Culture, Holidays, Fairs & Festivals, News.

Today marks the beginning of the 2010 International Gourmet Festival in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The festival is a ten-day, annual event that has been attracting thousands of people from around the world every year since 1995. Founded by master chefs Thierry Blouet, Heinz Reize and Roland Menetrey, the International Gourmet Festival gives food enthusiasts an incredible opportunity to sample cuisine, taste wines from around the world, and watch cooking demonstrations in the finest restaurants of Puerto Vallarta, which has more signature chefs than any other city in Mexico!

The video below gives a nice overview of previous years’ events, and more. The full schedule and pricing for 2010’s Gourmet Festival in Puerto Vallarta can be found here.

*Culinary Note – Stay tuned for an upcoming video series called Table Talk where Journey Mexico and the 2010 winner of “Puerto Vallarta’s Best Mexican Restaurant,” El Arrayan, bring the flavors of traditional Mexican cuisine to your computer screen!

New Flights to Mexico Update

Posted by & filed under News.

New flights to Mexico*Information via Travel Weekly

In December, new flights to Mexico will begin to operate from both Southwest Airlines and Aeromexico.

Starting Dec. 6th, Aeromexico will be operating more flights to Mexico City from New York, Miami, Las Vegas, LA, and Chicago. On Dec. 15th, Aeromexico will also begin to operate their additional seasonal flights from Denver to Mexico City.

Dec. 12th marks the beginning of the new flights that Southwest and Volaris agreed to partner on two years ago. Flights will be offered from 20 Southwest cities to Cancun, Guadalajara, Morelia, Toluca/Mexico City.

More Good News About Mexico

Posted by & filed under Health and Safety, News.

Good news about MexicoAs Mexico continues to be berated with negative media coverage, it’s important to contextualize the “shocking” news that is often sloppily reported to boost viewership. Below are some recent articles that do a good job of presenting the reality of the current state of affairs.

“Mexico’s Drug War Doesn’t Stop Tourists” (msnbc.com) – Top Quote: “I live in New York City,” said Shari Prince, the owner of a residential real estate company in Manhattan who returned last month from what she called a “fantastic” five-day getaway with her three daughters on the Riviera Maya, which is just southwest of Cancun. “I’d be more concerned about the crime here than in Mexico.”

“Tourism to Mexico jumps nearly 20%” (latimes.com) – Top Quote: “In a surprising turnabout, international tourism to Mexico showed a sharp increase this summer — a sign that tourists may be putting aside worries about the economy and fears of drug-related violence, analysts say.”

“Tourism to Mexico is Up” (nytimes.com) – Top Quote: “In addition to having several of the top sun and beach destinations of the world, Mexico has 30,000 archeological sites, 110,000 monuments and 31 Unesco World Heritage sites. Many places have one or maybe two of these elements, but only Mexico combines all of them in one destination.”

“Mexico Tourism Official: Agents Big Part of Resurgence” (travelagentcentral.com) – Top Quote: “Consumers are now aware that all of these problems are away from (where they will be visiting in Mexico),” Sumano says. “People are much more aware and we wanted to thank the travel agent community because of what they have shared with their clients.”

Virtuoso Statistics on Travel to Mexico

Posted by & filed under Health and Safety, News, Virtuoso.

Mexican-Tourism-StatisticsVirtuoso Travel Network recently released a report with some interesting and exciting figures about travel to Mexico. Below are the highlights:

  • From January to August of 2010, 7.1 million foreign international travelers visited Mexico, which was a rise of 19 percent from the same period in 2009.
  • Alfonso Sumano, director of the Americas for the Mexican tourism board said, “There are several reasons why Mexico’s tourism numbers are up, but the strongest reason is the value Mexico delivers.” He went on to say, “In addition to having several of the top sun and beach destinations of the world, Mexico has 30,000 archeological sites, 110,000 monuments and 31 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Many places have one or maybe two of these elements, but only Mexico combines all of them in one destination.”
  • Continental Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Airlines have all added new flights to Mexico from several North American travel hubs. Also adding flights to Mexico in the near future are: Aeromexico, British Airways, US Airways, Frontier Airlines, Virgin America, and China’s Hainan Airlines.
  • As a show of encouragement for Mexico, Virtuoso held its annual Symposium in Mexico City last April, and Journey Mexico played a central role in the organization and operation of this state level event. Mexican President Felipe Calderón has prioritized tourism, and addressed Symposium to emphasize that message. The president told the Virtuoso audience that his government is spending $50 billion each year on infrastructure improvements to strengthen the country’s appeal as a destination.
  • (According to the Virtuoso Luxe Report) Mexico is second only to Italy in popularity as an international luxury destination. The country offers almost 155,000 five-star hotel rooms, up 7 percent per year since 2007.
  • Virtuoso member Adamarie King of Connoisseur’s Travel feels that “Mexico offers everything that an international luxury traveler could want: cultural attractions such as all types of museums; colonial and contemporary architecture; glorious and varied scenery, including its beautiful beaches; incredible archeological sites, indigenous villages and handicrafts; a broad range of excellent culinary and gastronomic experiences; outstanding luxury accommodations in fine hotels and haciendas throughout the country; and service that in most cases truly comes from the heart – all at prices that often come in at half the cost of a comparable experience in Europe or even Asia.”

 

For up-to-date statistics and topics on safety please click here

 

Journey Mexico Annual Staff Dinner

Posted by & filed under News.

As part of the annual Journey Mexico retreat week, the entire JM staff dines together at one of the many delicious restaurants here in Puerto Vallarta. This year’s dinner was held at Blanca Blue, which is the beautiful restaurant inside Garza Blanca Preserve Resort and Spa.

The evening began with cocktails on the veranda outside of Blanca Blue, which overlooks the ocean. Blanca Blue’s signature cocktail, “The Perfect Sunset,” was indeed the perfect compliment to the breathtaking sunset that enfolded before us.

Inside, we were treated to a special menu designed specifically for Journey Mexico, offering appetizers of either Tomato Tartar with French beans or Shrimp Ceviche Acapulco style, main courses of Steak topped with Nopales and a side of Camote in a maple marinade or grilled Bay Snapper with Prosciutto in an orange reduction sauce, and desserts of either fresh plums poached in port with custard brioche and vanilla ice cream or warm chocolate cake with a peanut butter and vanilla milkshake.

Needless to say, the courses were INCREDIBLE! Blanca Blue also matched a variety of wines from their award winning wine selection to each of the dishes and treated us to tasty dessert wine as well. The ambiance in Blanca Blue captures the essence of tranquility, and I speak for everyone when I say that the evening was picture perfect.

Many thanks to Miguel Andres and Blanca Blue for such a memorable night!

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Madonna’s First International Gym to Open in Mexico City

Posted by & filed under News.

madonna hard body fitnessInternational superstar Madonna has partnered with her manager, Guy Oseary, to open an international chain of mega-gyms called Hard Candy Fitness. The first Hard Candy Fitness to open is a 30,000 square foot space in the exclusive Bosques de las Lomas area of Mexico City. Madonna is scheduled to attend the grand opening on November 29th.

Madonna and Oseary have partnered with New Evolution Ventures, whose chairman is Mark Mastrov, founder of 24 Hour Fitness clubs, to design Hard Candy Fitness but Mastrov states: “Hard Candy Fitness will be a reflection of Madonna’s point of view and will reflect her input on every detail including music space, light and other design cues. Madonna’s touch will be everywhere,” in the official Hard Candy Fitness press release.

Madonna has been a long time advocate of maintaining a physically fit lifestyle and during her touring career, she has worked out in hundreds of gyms across the world. Hard Candy Fitness Centers will offer the latest in physical training courses including: Zumba, Latin Moves, Cardio Kickboxing, new programs designed specifically for Hard Candy Fitness; and studios for Bike training, Mind Body, BarWorks, Sculpting, Capoeira, and the latest of Yoga trends.

The locker rooms are expected to be lavish featuring saunas and steam rooms, and Hard Candy Fitness centers will also also include healthy juice bars.

Ten other Hard Candy Fitness centers are reported to open in Madonna’s favorite tour locations in Russia, Brazil, Argentina and throughout Europe and Asia in the near future.

For those who live in or travel to Mexico City often, you can find more information about purchasing membership at the enrollment center at Bosque de Duraznos 47, Bosques de las Lomas or by calling +52 55 5245 7550. Journey Mexico is working to offer our clients traveling to Mexico City day passes to the new Hard Candy Fitness. Stay tuned for updates!

Journey Mexico Local Shelter Visit

Posted by & filed under Things We're Proud Of.

Puerto Vallarta Orphanage

Video Below

On Oct. 12th of this year, the Journey Mexico staff visited the Puerto Vallarta AGAPE, which is a local shelter for young ladies in need run by JM trip planner Karina Huet‘s mother, Katalina Huet. After Mrs. Huet gave us a tour of the orphanage, JM president, Zachary Rabinor, gave a speech to the young ladies about the experiences and opportunities of Mexico that inspired Zach to start Journey Mexico and move into the country. Following, we showed the girls Willy Sousa’s inspiring video, “Visit Mexico,” and then outlined an activity which is shown in the video re-cap (below) of the day. More information about the shelter can be found at www.agape.com.mx.

Mexico’s New US Dollar Regulations

Posted by & filed under News.

usd regulations in mexicoA new effort in the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime in Mexico is set to take affect in September of this year, and understanding the new regulations should help you make the most of your future travels to Mexico. These new regulations only affect CASH transactions – all other forms of payment will remain unaffected by the new law.

As of September 14th, 2010:

  • Hotels, money exchange booths, and local banks are permitted to exchange a maximum of $1,500 USD cash per person, per month into Mexican Pesos. (Previously, there was no limit).
  • Businesses (including restaurants, shops, and tour and travel companies) are permitted to accept a maximum of $100 USD cash per transaction; however, there are no restrictions on the number of transactions an individual can make. IE: If a vacationer wants to purchase a snorkeling tour (for example) that costs $150 USD, the individual will only be permitted to pay $100 of the amount owed in USD – the remainder must be paid with another form of payment such as a credit card, Mexican Pesos or wire transfer.
  • Certain businesses may not accept USD cash at all, only Mexican Pesos (we do not have specifics as to what types of businesses will be restricted in this manner at this time).

Airlines are advising future passengers that within Mexico after Sept. 14th, they will only accept Mexican Pesos and credit cards for any and all fees including but not limtited to the purchase of new tickets, baggage fees, and change fees.

The new regulations will help in the fight to reduce money laundering and the illegal trafficking of drugs, arms, people and other contraband that has been the cornerstone of President Felipe Calderon’s administration. It is important to take the appropriate measures to ensure that your travel in Mexico is as enjoyable as possible. Journey Mexico recommends that you check with your credit card company and banks that your credit cards will work while aborad and that you are able to withdraw cash from Mexican automated tellers (in our opinion the easiest and cheapest way to secure Mexican Pesos). In addition, you can find out from your bank if there are any partner banks that charge less or no fees for automated teller transactions.