Is Cancun A Safe Destination To Visit For 2022?

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Last Updated 23 hours in the past

Cancun is unarguably the go-to sunny getaway for hundreds of thousands of Americans. A metropolis like no different, it presents guests each the colourful environment of different equally-busy world hubs, and extra secluded seashores (if you recognize the place to search for them).

On the opposite hand, Cancun’s status as an excellent summer time vacation spot has come beneath risk currently attributable to studies of elevated violence, even in traditionally-safe vacationer areas, journey scams, and even the landfall of an unprecedented quantity of seaweed.

If you’re considering of flying to Cancun quickly, and have been following carefully these highly-publicized developments, you is perhaps questioning whether or not this massively well-liked seaside hotspot is certainly an excellent choose. After all, is Cancun nonetheless a secure vacation spot to go to for 2022?

There is loads to unpack right here, however briefly, sure.

You is perhaps questioning how precisely we're capable of nonetheless deem it a secure metropolis even after bearing in mind latest studies, which we have covered extensively ourselves, and the doubts raised by many different journey information web sites about safety in Cancun. Here is why:

On Travel Scams

By being an already sought-after vacation spot that's now experiencing overwhelmingly excessive demand, it hardly comes as a shock that ghost journey businesses, a number of ill-intentioned cab drivers, and different scammers have intensified their operations in Cancun and the broader Riviera Maya in latest months.

Even although we can not overlook the truth that 250 scams happen round Mexico per hour, and numerous these are in Cancun, vacationers additionally threat being victims of fraudulent taxis and/or tour operators just about wherever on the earth. Although Cancun is not any exception, that is removed from being a Cancun-exclusive subject.

Foreigners have traditionally confronted scamming when touring all through the Caribbean, with Belize and Jamaica being two infamous examples. Even the most well-liked cities in Europe are usually not exempt from their justifiable share of journey scams. In different phrases, worldwide journey isn't risk-free, particularly when you may’t communicate the language of the nation you’re visiting and will, due to this fact, be taken benefit of.

Still, there are some precautions vacationers can take to be higher ready when flying overseas and in worry of being scammed, reminiscent of:

• Booking journey packages solely by way of licensed operators in Mexico
• Pre-book an airport switch earlier than touchdown in Cancun
• Once in Mexico, solely use approved taxis, both by calling or requesting a driver by way of an official app
• Never get right into a cab with no seen taximeter or earlier than agreeing on a worth for the route

On Violence:

We have all heard of Cancun’s latest run-ins with the legislation. Gang shootings, robberies, and murders linked to organized crime within the metropolis have taken the information by storm. For that cause, we don't blame extra cautious vacationers for having reconsidered Cancun as their summer time vacation spot.

Having stated that, we wish to pose a query: which large metropolis doesn't battle, a technique or one other, larger crime ranges in comparison with less-dense areas? Cancun isn't a single seaside or a resort city: it is likely one of the largest cities within the Caribbean.

While violent incidents have undeniably elevated, main the United States to revise its Travel Advisories, Cancun is certain to document extra incidents than different smaller cities in Quintana Roo attributable to its place as a global hub.

Still, when assessing journey dangers and selecting their subsequent vacation spot, vacationers ought to all the time analysis the violence ranges of their dream trip vacation spot, however must also evaluate them to the place they at present stay.

It is price noting the town of New York, which presents of the main metropolis breaks in North America, can also be going through a violence surge this yr, with a marked enhance in each shootings and murder. The identical goes for Los Angeles, the place violent crimes were up by 60% in 2021 in response to LAPD information.

Even although a number of cities throughout North America, each within the U.S. and Mexico, battle with crime, it’s Cancun that has been notably pinpointed as violence-ridden currently.

However, because the U.S. State Department itself affirms, shootings are usually not directed at vacationers, and are as a substitute a results of quarrels between prison teams, despite the fact that bystanders can nonetheless be injured.

Despite these dangers, that's the exception reasonably than the rule.

Mexico Takes Tourist Safety Very, Very Seriously

Lately, Mexico has been investing closely in safety, deploying none lower than the National Guard to maintain vacationers secure in Cancun, and vowing to clamp down on corrupt entities extorting vacationers within the wider Quintana Roo. This is a rustic in search of to ascertain itself as a secure haven within the post-pandemic world, because it has been identified to take safety considerations very significantly.

As Dario Flota Ocampo, Director of the Quintana Roo tourism Board stated, ‘Quintana Roo remains a safe destination to visit (…) it continues to operate normally and remains one of the world’s main locations’.

On high of that, the U.S. doesn't advise vacationers in opposition to journey to Cancun (or the Quintana Roo state) citing violent crime, although they need to ‘maintain a high level of situation awareness’ and keep away from dangerous areas. Like wherever else, guests are urged to stay in vacationer zones and be cautious when strolling after darkish.

While we do encourage all our readers to observe this steerage whereas on trip, we are able to guarantee you Cancun isn’t any more dangerous than a number of different locations in Mexico, together with Mexico City, Baja California Sur, Oaxaca, and Chiapas.

In reality, the U.S. considers it a lot safer than explicit Mexican states, reminiscent of Sinaloa or Colima.

Bottomline

Throughout the pandemic, Cancun has maintained its standing as one of many freer, and maybe most tourist-friendly locations on Earth, incomes a king-of-tourism, sort nickname. Even throughout the woeful months of December and January, when Omicron was rampant and restrictions have been the norm, it remained open and recorded a record number of visitors.

This signifies that, whereas quite a few rivals throughout the Caribbean imposed strict entry necessities, Cancun went the other means fully and permitted all to enter restriction-free, no matter vaccination standing. On high of that, Cancun Airport has not seen a single relatively quieter month since Mexico determined to maintain its borders open.

Due to this bold transfer, it has been on the forefront of the minds of many vacationers – and on the radar of the mainstream media – for months on finish. To put it merely, Cancun is being carefully watched by all, which suggests any native incidents will probably be rapidly picked up on, and subsequently scrutinized.

Yes, shootings and robberies happen, and sure, they've grow to be extra widespread in vacationer zones as gang exercise worsens, however the threat of being caught in a crossfire, or experiencing any abuse in any respect, continues to be inside acceptable ranges each by Mexican, U.S., and different worldwide requirements.

Unlike in other parts of Mexico, the place the U.S. authorities issued journey restrictions for U.S. authorities workers and has been adamant Americans ought to chorus from visiting, Quintana Roo and Cancun have not been particularly focused.

This corroborates our findings that Cancun stays a secure vacation spot with no notably exacerbated security or well being dangers when in comparison with others.

At the identical time, we wish to remind vacationers this doesn't imply Cancun is crime-free. When visiting, you must keep in mind all the data now we have given you on right here and watch out for your environment, particularly in crowded areas the place robberies and pickpocketing might happen, equally to any giant metropolis.

Read More:

Travel Insurance That Covers Covid-19 For 2022

Cancun Deploys 6000 Soldiers To Keep Tourists Safe Amid Record Arrivals

Cancun Hotel Guests Will Now Have To Sign New Form Acknowledging Laws

Cancun Beaches Are Safe, Clean And Ready For Tourists

Mexico Adding Seaweed Barriers To Popular Tourist Hotspots Including Cancun And Playa Del Carmen

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Disclaimer: Current journey guidelines and restrictions can change with out discover. The resolution to journey is finally your accountability. Contact your consulate and/or native authorities to substantiate your nationality’s entry and/or any adjustments to journey necessities earlier than touring.  Travel Off Path doesn't endorse touring in opposition to authorities advisories