Travel to Mexico and US Relations

[projectx]

Regardless of anyone's political stance, I think we can all agree that there is definitely tension between the US and Mexican governments. It's turning into a war of words. I'm not here to discuss who is right or who is wrong, but I do wonder if it will have any impact on travel to the area.

Let's say relations continue to deteriorate. How will the locals respond to tourists? Worse? Better? Same?

 

[italdesign]

The same concern extends to most countries, unfortunately.

 

[heavenlyjane]

Most citizens of other countries make the distinction between our government and us.

 

[Belisarius]

You won't see a change in local attitudes unless there's a larger destabilization.

 

[projectx]

Most citizens of other countries make the distinction between our government and us.

I know I do when I meet people from other nations. However, I would think given the fact we just voted in a president at odds with (in my example) Mexico... would they do the same? I don't know.

You won't see a change in local attitudes unless there's a larger destabilization.

I'm not sure what specific type of destabilization you're referring to, but in terms of relations, it's getting ugly fast.

 

[Belisarius]

I know I do when I meet people from other nations. However, I would think given the fact we just voted in a president at odds with (in my example) Mexico... would they do the same? I don't know.
I'm not sure what specific type of destabilization you're referring to, but in terms of relations, it's getting ugly fast.

Sure I'll expand. Mexico is hanging on by a thread and have basically ceded large portions of the country to parallel narco governance (and sometimes not so parallel - like when a local mayor and police works with the local drug gang to slaughter a bus full of college students). They also have a deeply corrupt entrenched political class (the crony PRI "La Dictadura Perfecta" has had one party rule for 87 years save one brief interlude in the early 2000s) that's been in kleptocracy so long that they've actually normalized the behavior in the bureaucracy.

Mexico's basic ability to function relies in large part on remittances from the USA, oil revenue, drug sales and NAFTA.

If remittances decline due to beefed up border security (or a simple tweak at Western Union), Canada and the USA continue to embrace energy independence, drug legalization continues here and tariffs are imposed broadly on manufacturing, Mexico will destabilize. That's not a prediction so much as a description of of physical law. How and to what degree remains to be seen.

So my larger point is that in any destabilizing country, how American tourists are treated will have a lot less to do with "Do you like us?" and more with the realities of chaos and a loss of civic control.

I love Mexico so I'd hate to see it.

 

[BuddyFunJet]

Too much crossfire for me. Between US-MEX relations, internal Mexican politics and the general crime level, there are other places for me to be.

I have travel booked to Iran and feel safer going to Tehran than Acapulco.

 

[zceuxbhjutf]

I think things will be fine but FWIW I vacationed in Mexico City 16 months ago. A big soccer game (2015 Concacef Cup) was coming up between the USA and Mex national teams so they were running TV ads to make sure everybody would tune in.

ETA: Trump was the main point of the ad, here it is...

 

[Suzie]

We were there over Christmas. No issues.

 

[smittytabb]

Too much crossfire for me. Between US-MEX relations, internal Mexican politics and the general crime level, there are other places for me to be.

I have travel booked to Iran and feel safer going to Tehran than Acapulco.

Well then you probably don't want to see this

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN15C0NR

I was denied a visa to Iran, so unfortunately it's not happening for me. This was the second time I had my trip to Iran foiled, btw. As for Acapulco, I was there in 2011 and it felt scary. I don't say that lightly, as I am widely traveled. Shortly after I was there it started making the list of most dangerous cities in the world, and cruise ships stopped calling there. So I agree totally that Iran is way more safe than Acapulco. Just good luck going there now.

 

[italdesign]

That's the kind of retaliation I was afraid of, though hardly surprising. The ease of travel as we know it is very likely to erode under the new administration. Enjoy it while you can folks.

 

[projectx]

You won't see a change in local attitudes unless there's a larger destabilization.

Too much crossfire for me. Between US-MEX relations, internal Mexican politics and the general crime level, there are other places for me to be.

I have travel booked to Iran and feel safer going to Tehran than Acapulco.

Sure about that?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trump%e2%80%99s-order-on-refugee-limits-draws-iran-retaliation-threat/ar-AAmkpsW?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout

Granted, Acapulco is trouble as smittytabb mentioned. Still, given the choice between the two, I'd take my chances in Acapulco right now. All that said... I'll stick with Cabo or Puerto Vallarta.

 

[Suzie]

I was in Cancun, at an all inclusive, never left the property. So my experience over Christmas is not a good indicator.

 

[smittytabb]

Sure about that?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trump%e2%80%99s-order-on-refugee-limits-draws-iran-retaliation-threat/ar-AAmkpsW?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout

Granted, Acapulco is trouble as smittytabb mentioned. Still, given the choice between the two, I'd take my chances in Acapulco right now. All that said... I'll stick with Cabo or Puerto Vallarta.

I don't know Mexico well enough, but it is a big country. There are places that are fine to go right now, and others not so much. What no one is mentioning is how much all of this will impact not just our travel to the rest of the world, but tourism in the U.S. The travel industry is one of our biggest employers and I predict we will see travel to the U.S. scaled back under this administration.

 

[R.R.]

I'll be keeping a watch on this, as Spouse & I have plans to visit friends who will be sailing to Mexico next Fall and docking there for the winter. Spouse has never been to Mexico, so we were looking forward to a sunny Christmas-New Years stay at the end of 2017. We've never spent a winter holiday season away from the dark drizzle of Seattle, and it seems like an excellent novelty to try.

 

[Nikki O]

I think things will be fine but FWIW I vacationed in Mexico City 16 months ago. A big soccer game (2015 Concacef Cup) was coming up between the USA and Mex national teams so they were running TV ads to make sure everybody would tune in.

ETA: Trump was the main point of the ad, here it is...

That's a pretty good ad, I'm sure people enjoyed it.

 

[EddieLV]

Honestly, I think as long as you stay in the tourist areas (Cancun, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, PDC, etc), it shouldn't be an issue with political backlash. Those areas are completely tourist-driven, and it's all about the $$$. Any crime or unrest in those areas will affect the entire economy in that area. Highly unlikely they would risk trouble. Then again, as previously mentioned, those tourist areas are not the best gauge for "real Mexico".

Even in some of the major cities, I don't expect a big issue. You can't really differentiate an American from a European unless you ask them where they are from.

 

[Jean]

We just returned from Cabo yesterday and didn't notice any changes in people's attitudes from previous trips. A couple of people did joke with us about the wall...one person trying to sell timeshares told us we would need a place to escape to..but he was joking. Time will tell.

 

[smittytabb]

Honestly, I think as long as you stay in the tourist areas (Cancun, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, PDC, etc), it shouldn't be an issue with political backlash. Those areas are completely tourist-driven, and it's all about the $$$. Any crime or unrest in those areas will affect the entire economy in that area. Highly unlikely they would risk trouble. Then again, as previously mentioned, those tourist areas are not the best gauge for "real Mexico".

Even in some of the major cities, I don't expect a big issue. You can't really differentiate an American from a European unless you ask them where they are from.

Acapulco used to be a good tourist spot. One of my daughters went there for spring break in 2001. A decade later, it was totally different and I would not recommend it and I am not one to shy away from most destinations.