With a significant increase in violence and kidnappings linked to the drug cartels in Mexico, U.S. college students planning Spring Break vacations are being warned against the possible risks. Each year, more than 100,000 students travel to Mexican resort locations for Spring vacations.The Mexico destinations are preferred over U.S. locations by many students because of the lower drinking age.
"We're not necessarily telling students not to go, but we're going to certainly alert them," Tom Dougan, of the University of Rhode Island, told The Associated Press. "There have been Americans kidnapped, and if you go you need to be very aware and very alert to this fact."
Violence Not Just on the Border
The U.S. State Department issued a warning concerning travel to Mexico, but stopped short of advising students not to go at all. The department warned students to stay away from areas known for drug-dealing and prostitution.
Although most of the drug-related violence in Mexico has been focused around border towns, kidnappings and killings have also occurred in Cancun and Acapulco, far away from the border. Last year, more than 6,000 were killed in drug-related violence.
Joining the State Department in warning students about traveling to Mexico are many universities and colleges located in border states, but the warnings have also been issued to students from Arizona to New York, including students at Penn State and Notre Dame.
See Also:
Colleges Warn Students About Mexico Travel
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This is bad news… Not just for party animals but I guess they should definitely know about this. It’s just now that I learned about this matter(the increasing number of kidnappings and that Mexico having a lower drinking age). I’ve been looking forward to go there myself.
My boyfriend and I and another couple are going to Cancun on the 16th of March. Does anyone know if things have been bad in or around Cancun.. Our parents and my boyfriend are really getting worried…We just wonder if Cancun will be really unsafe or not…
I just came back from Cancun is December and I travel to Mexico often and I have never had any issues. From what I read, the statement is about the Northern states of Mexico, not the South and def. not Cancun. Mexico is a very large country and the distance between Sonora and Cancun is about as large as the distance between NY and Miami.
Well obviously the person (Goose)who pointed out the distances between Sonora and Cancun was vast and insinuated it was safe in Cancun, didn’t read the article well enough to notice that it said kidnappings and killing were IN CANCUN also! I just returned from there two days ago. I have been to different areas of Mexico a number of times too. I heard about this warning on the news while I was down there also. I went with my boyfriend and didn’t have a problem but I am older than college student age. Young students could be more of a target. A co-worker told me her aunt was there last year and went on a horseback riding day trip. While in the woods, banditos came out from the hidden brush and robbed the whole group and took all their jewelry. My advice is to stay only in well populated tourist areas as the article says also. If you go off on a day trip (NOT like horseback riding out in the jungle/woods) make sure you are in well populated places at all times. Also, keep your wits about you and not drunk and wandering alone…..foolish things like that. Drink at your all-inclusive hotel, where you aren’t as vulnerable and there is security. Be safe… hope it all turns out okay.
I just got back from there also and heard the news while I was down there. The guy that was hired to clean up the police force was found bullet riddled outside of cancun. I didn’t feel safe in cancun. It is lawless like the rest of mexico and all the mexicans there know it. I felt like someone was always trying to rip me off and that if they wanted to they could have their way with you and dump you in a ditch. The hotel security guards and workers have been known to rape women.
The Information about Mexico at this site is a great source of information for the students who plan to travel this spring. My concern is with some of the sponsored links. Why educate them and then invite them to: Spring Break Myrtle Beach. Stay cheap. Party Hard. In their HOME COUNTRY? This ( again) is sending our children a mixed message about the dangers of alcohol.
Faith, you are right about the ads for Myrtle Beach. Unfortunately, those “Sponsored Links” are feed from the Google AdWords program and About.com has little control over what is advertised there and what is blocked. I will report it, but I’m not optimistic.
BuddyT