Mexico

(Dive Travel Business News - December 6, 2011) -- The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) updated its travel warnings to Mexico on December 5, 2011.  While most major tourist areas have not been affected by the extreme levels of violence in the northern border region, travelers to Mexico should exercise a high degree of caution due to a deteriorating security situation in many parts of the country.

it is highly advisable to travel to Mexico by air (please refer to our official warning for the Mexico-United States border below). High levels of criminal activity, as well as occasional demonstrations and protests, remain a concern throughout the country.
Presidential elections are scheduled for July 1, 2012. In the period leading up to and during the elections, Canadians are advised to remain vigilant, avoid large crowds and demonstrations, exercise caution, follow the advice of local authorities, and monitor local media. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - December 27, 2011) -- The popular scuba diving television series Into The Drink  is heading into its third season in 2012. The ground-breaking adventure program set new standards for excitement and exploration when it first premiered on HDNET. The entire first season has been packaged in a three-disc DVD box set.

According to show creator Randy Harris, “The first season set the bar that the entire crew has worked to match in subsequent seasons. We travel throughout the world exploring not only some of the most pristine diving destinations on the globe, but we also show some of the unique topside and cultural experiences found in these places. Throw in a bit of humor and colorful characters and you have Into The Drink, Season 1.” The DVD Box set is available for $29.95. 

Season 1 of Into The Drink features all 13 episodes and a bonus disc with surprise footage never before released on DVD. Episodes include:
• Turks & Caicos, Parts I & II
• Honduras, Parts I & II read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - December 29, 2011) -- Dive Travelers are going to have access to more air lift, more access, more options and more gateways from the U.S. this year signaling a comeback in travel from the past two years. The downside - higher fares and full planes. Here is a summary of some of the new air service.

Antigua -
• American began nonstop flights four times a week from Kennedy to Antigua in November.
• St. Vincent Grenadines Air offers daily scheduled service between Antigua and Montserrat.

Aruba -
• JetBlue offers a Saturday flight from Boston to Aruba in addition to its two weekly flights
• AirTran has weekend flights from Baltimore to Aruba through March 14, plus daily service to Aruba from Atlanta and weekend flights from Orlando.
• Delta has weekly nonstop service on Saturday from LaGuardia to Aruba, complementing its Saturday nonstop service from DKennedy and its flights via Atlanta to Aruba from Kennedy, LaGuardia, Newark and Westchester County Airport. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - October 26, 2011) -- Mexico issued a hurricane watch along the Yucatan coast and readied 1,130 storm shelters in Quintana Roo, the state that includes Cancun and Cozumel.  Authorities are evacuating fishing communities on Mexico’s resort-studded Caribbean coast and some tourists began to leave, as Hurricane Rina took aim at Cancun and the island of Cozumel on Wednesday. 

Rina’s maximum sustained winds remained steady at about 110 mph (175 kph) early Wednesday, said the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, making it a Category 2 storm. Forecasters predict it will strengthen as it nears the Mexican coast Wednesday night before rolling over the island of Cozumel, a popular dive spot and cruise-ship port, then along the coast to Cancun.

State Tourism Director Juan Carlos Gonzalez Hernandez said there were about 83,000 tourists in the state, with about 45,000 of those on a stretch of coast south of Cancun that includes Tulum and Playa de Carmen, and almost 28,000 in Cancun. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - Sept 6, 2011) -- In an effort to combat drug-related violence, Trinidad has extended its sate of emergency (SOE) and curfew for three more months. A nightly 8-hour curfew was first imposed on Aug 21, 2011 in direct response to a wave of violent crime linked to drug trafficking that included the murder of 11 people over a 48-hour period. Government security forces had already been fighting the illegal drug trade, that culminated in a multi- million-dollar bust at the island's international airport in last month. 

Trinidad is a major transhipment point of cocaine. Colombian and Mexican drug dealers who had been fighting for drug turf locally were set to go on a bloodbath, following the seizure of cocaine worth $22 million at Piarco International Airport on August 16, five days before the declaration of the state of emergency. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News May 27, 2011) -- The most recent U.S. State Department alert, issued April 22, expanded the areas in Mexico that are experiencing drug-cartel-related violence and advised U.S. travelers to exercise caution in visiting some parts of Mexico. One of the more confusing things about the State Department’s warning was that it sometimes named cities, sometimes states,sometimes vaguely delineated portions of states, sometimes roads, routes or border areas: The result leaves many travelers with the impression that entire states posed a security risk for visitors. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - May 25, 2011) -- A joint project to develop tourism links between Cuba and Mexico could open the U.S. tour market to the Caribbean islands in the form of vacation packages that combine Mexico and Cuba.

The decision by Cuba and Mexico to work together to promote vacations that combine both countries was unveiled at Cuba’s recent 31st International Tourism Fair in Cuba (FITCUBA 2011). FITCUBA is Cuba’s annual international trade event, attracting travel agents and tour operators from 40 countries, including Western Europe and Canada – but not the U.S.

Cuba is the Caribbean’s third most popular destination, according to Cuba’s tourism ministry, and that’s without benefit of travel from the destination’s number one travel market – the U.S. The U.S. market accounts for more than half of the Caribbean’s annual vacation visitors.

At least one American proponent of opening U.S. travel to Cuba sees the joint promotion with Mexico as a foot in the door for American travelers. read more »

(Dive Travel Business - March 1, 2011) -- Mexico’s Isla Mujeres Department of Tourism announced the Fourth Annual Whale Shark Festival. The Festival will be held July 15 to 17, 2011, in Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The event offers an opportunity to participate in ecotourism adventures such as swimming with whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean and an endangered species; traditional dancing performed by local troupes; exploring ancient Mayan ruins and much more. A portion of the festival proceeds will be donated to several environmental not-for-profit organizations. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - November 10, 2010) -- The US State Dept. updated its travel warning to Mexico on Sept 10, 2010 and the warning remains in effect with no changes. The State Dept. begins its warning by saying:

Millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year.  This includes tens of thousands who cross the border every day for study, tourism or business and at least one million U.S. citizens who live in Mexico. 

The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect U.S. citizens and other visitors to major tourist destinations.   Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major drug trafficking routes. 

Nevertheless, crime and violence are serious problems.  While most victims of violence are Mexican citizens associated with criminal activity, the security situation poses serious risks for U.S. citizens as well.    read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - Nov 3, 2010) -- The Mexican Government is advising Tourists to be careful when visiting lagoons in and around the popular tourist resort of Cancun. The lagoons in the area, including the lagoon in Cancun's hotel zone, are a natural habitat for crocodiles. Cancun's crocodiles (principally American crocodiles, Crocodylus acutus) are a non-aggressive species that feed on fish and other small wildlife. Cancun's sprawling 5000 hectare Nicupté lagoon is home to approximately 25 of the species -- though most of them live away from populated areas.

Recently, a US tourist was attacked by a crocodile while attempting to answer the call of nature in Cancun. According to Mexican police, 20-year-old Andrew Dales of Dallas confessed that he had been on a mission to relieve himself at the edge of the local lagoon when a crocodile suddenly snapped at him. He suffered “multiple bite wounds” to his leg and neck and was also left with a head injury after the reptile knocked him to the ground, a police spokesman said.

Lagoons in the area are dotted with crocodile warning signs. read more »