last July. The San Diego couple was planning on returning home three days later, but family members said they lost contact with them. Mexico broke its record for homicides last year, and the dynamics that are driving that violence are unlikely to abate in the near future. © 2020 Forbes Media LLC. Traveling to those states is as dangerous, according to the State Department's safety ratings, as traveling to Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. She'd come off that field gassed, completely exhausted. More than 31 million Americans visited Mexico in 2016, the National Travel & Tourism Office says, and State Department data shows there were reports of 75 American homicide victims there. American tourist murdered in Mexico; family wants FBI to investigate, Illinois on verge of another COVID-19 shutdown, Pritzker warns, Chicago COVID-19 stay-at-home advisory to take effect Monday, Biden COVID adviser proposes US lockdown of 4 to 6 weeks, Identity theft reports surge in Illinois, nationwide. But in terms of homicide, Mexico looms much larger in the figures: Of the 152 who were murdered overseas during the 12 months in question, exactly half died in Mexico. The other seven are Estado de Mexico, Jalisco, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas. More than 31 million Americans visited Mexico in 2016, the National Travel & Tourism Office says, and State Department data shows there were reports of 75 American … Tourism is a key pillar of the Mexican economy and usually accounts for almost nine percent of gross domestic product (GDP). And reports of violence in Mexico may be having an effect. MEXICAN authorities say they are searching for a known drug addict suspected of murdering two vacationing Americans who were found at the bottom of a well in Baja, Mexico. They say it's time to raise the travel advisory level to show that popular tourist spot Playa del Carmen is dangerous. Common sense and proper situational awareness will keep most American tourists safe when they venture to Mexico over spring break. Last year's U.S. tourist figures are not yet available, but it's safe to assume that the tally will come in higher than the 35 million that visited the country in 2017. Estado de Mexico, Jalisco, Morelos, Nayarit, idnappings are common, and there have been allegations of complicity by police officers," the Australian government says. What's more, it's a good idea to avoid going onto the beach after dark. We recommend that tourists visiting Mexico stay at their hotel or resort grounds after dark and avoid drinking to excess or using drugs. Of the five Mexican states that the State Department tells Americans not to visit, one, Tamaulipas, borders the USA. What type of COVID-19 test should you get, and when? I also published another book series, "Best Beaches," for Simon & Schuster’s Frommer’s division. The agency's advisories add up to a no-go warning for more than half of Mexico’s 31 states. U.S. government employees are not permitted to drive from the U.S.-Mexico border to "the interior parts of Mexico with the exception of daytime travel on Highway 15 between Nogales and Hermosillo," the State Department says. Cartel members also tend to wield military-grade weapons, which they do not hesitate to use on rival gangs or security forces, often resulting in collateral damage. Considered a pioneer of the concept of investigative travel reporting, my career has been devoted to helping travelers hurdle wisely over the travel industry’s many obstacles, ensuring they have an enjoyable, economical, safe and secure experience. PROGRAM NOTE: 'General Hospital' to air in late night at 1:37 a.m. It shares a 230-mile border with Texas, and murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, extortion and sexual assault commonly occur, the State Department says. Ian Hirschsohn, 78, and Kathy Harvey, 73, were found dead just days after telling their son, Robert Harvey, that they were going to explore a gold mine or visit the beach, local station KFMB-TV reported. Such increased caution is advised in Quintana Roo state which includes popular tourist areas Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and the Riviera Maya. A police officer stands guard after a shooting victim was brought to a hospital in Cancun, Mexico,... [+] last July. The U.S. Department of State has issued warnings advising against travel to five Mexican states: Colima, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Guerrero — the last of which is home to the resort city of Acapulco. Furthermore, many of the Americans murdered in places like Tijuana and Juarez were dual citizens or residents of Mexico who were involved in criminal activity — that isn't intended to minimize their deaths, but merely indicates that such murders have almost no bearing on the American tourists who visit Mexican resorts. "Armed criminal groups target public and private passenger buses traveling through Tamaulipas, often taking passengers hostage and demanding ransom payments.”.