Mexico Travel Warning Update posted today by Cruise Line Industry Association
February 23rd, 2010
Overview:
The US Department of State has extended a travel alert to Mexico. The text of the alert has remained virtually unchanged, with a few additional border areas being added to the list of those where extra caution is recommended.
The travel alert expresses no concern whatsoever regarding Mexican beach resorts and key tourist and business destinations. Tourist areas are safe to travel to, which means that the vast majority of U.S. citizens visiting Mexico should not have any hesitation in doing so.
Mexico’s tourist destinations and resort properties remain fun, safe, affordable and popular vacation destinations. Indeed, Mexico remains the number one international destination for U.S. tourists.
Regarding the alert renewal, here are a few points that we consider is important to know, in case your costumers or partners ask about it:
This is not a new alert. It is an extension of an alert already in place.
What has been extended is a travel alert, not a warning. Travel warnings are issued to describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable, and/or when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.
A travel alert, on the other hand, disseminates information about short-term conditions of which U.S. citizens abroad should be aware to maximize their safety.
The alert for Mexico does not discourage U.S. citizens from traveling to the country’s tourist destinations.
The main tourist destinations for U.S. citizens are geographically far from the very specific areas included in the alert. For example, Cancun and Acapulco are at least a two-hour flight away from the main areas identified in the alert. The distance from Cancun to Ciudad Juarez is 1,312 miles – approximately the same distance between New York and Miami (1,290 miles), Chicago and Laredo, Texas (1,395 miles), or Los Angeles to Oklahoma City (1,328 miles).
More than 21.5 million international tourists visited Mexico in 2009. Air arrivals from the U.S. in December 2009 were up approximately 6.2% from December 2008, demonstrating that U.S. travelers view Mexico’s unique vacation destinations and attractions as safe and violence in northern Mexico as unrelated to Mexico’s principal tourist destinations.
More than one million Americans reside in Mexico.
Please feel free to contact the Mexico Tourism Board if you have any questions or doubts.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
A Word on Trip Insurance
You're going on a long-awaited family vacation! You've got your airfare booked, your resort booked, and many excursions are already booked as well. Your trip can add up to quite a lot of money, sometimes as much as buying a car! If it were a car, what would you do if you drove that car out of the lot but didn't have insurance on it yet? (although the car dealer would make sure you did have insurance) And suppose your car was hit as you pulled out, totalling the car! Let's hope this doesn't happen, but it could.
Well, the same goes for your vacation. You've invested a lot of your hard-earned money in your vacation. Now what happens if you are in a car accident on your way to the airport, or your mother is very ill and admitted to the hospital the day before your trip. Or perhaps your flight is cancelled because of a blizzard (we've seen that happen a lot this winter!)and the next flight out is two days later. What happens to your vacation? If you are not insured, you may lose all of your money, or end up spending more money just to get to your vacation spot while having lost two nights' worth of your prepaid room.
Many people think this won't happen to them. Or they'll say they'll never cancel their trip so they don't need insurance. Or many will say their credit card will cover them. Do you know that for sure? Will they cover you for the canceling your trip because of an illness of a family member not traveling with you? And what about medical expenses, especially while out of the country? Medicare will not cover these expenses. And while your health insurance company may say they will cover the expenses, most times you have to pay out of pocket first, then submit the bills to the insurance company. How expensive is it to be flown home to the U.S. to get your medical care at home? Your medical insurance may not pay this at all.
There was an excellent article in USA Today's Travel section by Linda Burbank. The article is titled "Traveler's Aide: Why you should always buy trip insurance for a cruise". Click here to read it.
Well, the same goes for your vacation. You've invested a lot of your hard-earned money in your vacation. Now what happens if you are in a car accident on your way to the airport, or your mother is very ill and admitted to the hospital the day before your trip. Or perhaps your flight is cancelled because of a blizzard (we've seen that happen a lot this winter!)and the next flight out is two days later. What happens to your vacation? If you are not insured, you may lose all of your money, or end up spending more money just to get to your vacation spot while having lost two nights' worth of your prepaid room.
Many people think this won't happen to them. Or they'll say they'll never cancel their trip so they don't need insurance. Or many will say their credit card will cover them. Do you know that for sure? Will they cover you for the canceling your trip because of an illness of a family member not traveling with you? And what about medical expenses, especially while out of the country? Medicare will not cover these expenses. And while your health insurance company may say they will cover the expenses, most times you have to pay out of pocket first, then submit the bills to the insurance company. How expensive is it to be flown home to the U.S. to get your medical care at home? Your medical insurance may not pay this at all.
There was an excellent article in USA Today's Travel section by Linda Burbank. The article is titled "Traveler's Aide: Why you should always buy trip insurance for a cruise". Click here to read it.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Travelers' Reviews: Let the Reader Beware!
I have always told my customers to beware of online travelers' reviews, such as those in the widely-read online site, TripAdvisor. I do admit I check the site as well just so I can see what my clients will be reading. If every review is negative, or positive, I will go with it and assume, hopefully correctly, that the reviews are true.
But this is why I say to beware of the reviews.
1. People like to complain. How many times will someone call or write to complain vs the number of times people call or write to compliment? It is refreshing to receive a compliment. The times I have called a travel supplier with a compliment either from myself or one that I pass along from a satisfied customer, the person on the receiving end is pleasantly surprised. So put that same philosophy into reading the reviews. Take what you read with a grain of salt. Maybe take a look at the other reviews the particular reviewer has also written. Are they all negative?
2. There are reviews out there that have been planted. Planted either positively by the hotel itself or negatively by one hotel having someone write a bad review about one of their nearby competitors. TripAdvisor knows about this and has taken action to correct it but these reviews are still out there. Case in point: I was recently approached by a company asking me to put hotel reviews on my website for which I would be paid per review. This is another way these fraudulent reviews are being put online. Did I do it - absolutely not! I did not even reply to their request. I will not put anything on my site from an unknown and, most likely unreliable, source.
3. It's better to get a more professional review than that of an occasional traveler. For example, the occasional American traveler who takes a trip to Rome may complain that the hotels are old and the rooms are small. European hotel rooms are usually small and the hotels are much older than the ones to which we are accustomed in the United States. This adds to the appeal of being in another country and experiencing another culture. Take the time to learn about the places you will be visiting. I provide information to my customers about the country they will be visiting so they know what to expect. If I don't have information about a particular hotel, I will contact other travel consultants and suppliers who do have first-hand knowledge so I can pass that information on to my customers. I like to use suppliers who have their employees personally visit the hotels and resorts they sell so they can pass on that knowledge.
This is a good reason why you should contact a travel agent for your vacation. It's fine to research and find a place you would like to visit, but then give your agent a call and discuss with them what you would like to do, where you would like to go, what type of accommodations you are interested in, and so on. You will develop a personal relationship with your agent and your agent will be able use your preferences to find the hotel or resort that will be the best match.
Will one of the large online agencies do that for you? More on that to come...
But this is why I say to beware of the reviews.
1. People like to complain. How many times will someone call or write to complain vs the number of times people call or write to compliment? It is refreshing to receive a compliment. The times I have called a travel supplier with a compliment either from myself or one that I pass along from a satisfied customer, the person on the receiving end is pleasantly surprised. So put that same philosophy into reading the reviews. Take what you read with a grain of salt. Maybe take a look at the other reviews the particular reviewer has also written. Are they all negative?
2. There are reviews out there that have been planted. Planted either positively by the hotel itself or negatively by one hotel having someone write a bad review about one of their nearby competitors. TripAdvisor knows about this and has taken action to correct it but these reviews are still out there. Case in point: I was recently approached by a company asking me to put hotel reviews on my website for which I would be paid per review. This is another way these fraudulent reviews are being put online. Did I do it - absolutely not! I did not even reply to their request. I will not put anything on my site from an unknown and, most likely unreliable, source.
3. It's better to get a more professional review than that of an occasional traveler. For example, the occasional American traveler who takes a trip to Rome may complain that the hotels are old and the rooms are small. European hotel rooms are usually small and the hotels are much older than the ones to which we are accustomed in the United States. This adds to the appeal of being in another country and experiencing another culture. Take the time to learn about the places you will be visiting. I provide information to my customers about the country they will be visiting so they know what to expect. If I don't have information about a particular hotel, I will contact other travel consultants and suppliers who do have first-hand knowledge so I can pass that information on to my customers. I like to use suppliers who have their employees personally visit the hotels and resorts they sell so they can pass on that knowledge.
This is a good reason why you should contact a travel agent for your vacation. It's fine to research and find a place you would like to visit, but then give your agent a call and discuss with them what you would like to do, where you would like to go, what type of accommodations you are interested in, and so on. You will develop a personal relationship with your agent and your agent will be able use your preferences to find the hotel or resort that will be the best match.
Will one of the large online agencies do that for you? More on that to come...
Monday, February 08, 2010
Airline News
Air France has extended its special fares to Europe for passengers who are looking to plan a quick trip this winter or getaway for the spring. Travelers have until February 11 to take advantage of these prices, with the option of flying from 15 Air France U.S. gateways to over 20 European destinations.
AirTran Airlines will begin new nonstop service between Baltimore-Washington International(BWI)in Baltimore and Jacksonville International Airport in Jacksonville, Fla. The airline will offer two daily nonstop flights between the two cities beginning May 4th.
American Airlines has installed a new Pet Relief Area at the JFK Airport in New York. Passengers with pets can give their traveling pets a final chance to relieve themselves before packing them away in their kennels for the flight.
Delta Air Lines announced new non-stop service from JFK to the Cayman Islands. Effective June 12, 2010, flights will operate once a week on Saturdays.
AirTran Airlines will begin new nonstop service between Baltimore-Washington International(BWI)in Baltimore and Jacksonville International Airport in Jacksonville, Fla. The airline will offer two daily nonstop flights between the two cities beginning May 4th.
American Airlines has installed a new Pet Relief Area at the JFK Airport in New York. Passengers with pets can give their traveling pets a final chance to relieve themselves before packing them away in their kennels for the flight.
Delta Air Lines announced new non-stop service from JFK to the Cayman Islands. Effective June 12, 2010, flights will operate once a week on Saturdays.
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