Mexico hopes to woo wary B.C. tourists

Mexico Tourism Minister Gloria Guevara has embarked ona mission toVancouverto try to reassure potential B.C. tourists to her country that its still safe to travel there.

Recent violence inflicted on Canadians appears to have soured at least some of the travelling public on considering Mexico as a preferred destination.

Mexican citizens have been charged in connection with therecent severe beating of a Calgary womanand thefatal shooting of a Salt Spring Island, B.C., man.A University of B.C.doctoral student was slain in a case that has seen no arrests. . The weekly reports of rampant drug-related violence in the country, killing thousands of Mexican nationals, also appear to have steadily eroded the image of a once-friendly nation.

Guevara admits Mexico is having its share of domestic violence, but said its not as bad as its been made to look.

"Yes, we have challenges, that's occurring in 80 counties of the 2,500 [in the country]," Guevara said. "At the end of the day, the government is making progress If you look at the rate of crime, it's decreasing and very isolated."

Safer than U.S., minister claims

About 1.5 million Canadians visit Mexico every year. In the past five years, 17 Canadians have been killed.

"Which is less than what they had for instance in the U.S., of Canadians travelling to the U.S.," said Guevara.

This month, WestJet dropped its summer service to Mazatlan, but the company says it was purely a financial decision.

"This cancellation is simply because we needed the aircraft to do other things," said WestJet public relations manager Robert Palmer. "The numbers were never there to make it work in the summer, and we are talking about one flight a week."

Prices for some package vacations to Mexico are being slashed by as much as 50 per cent.

But one Vancouver travel agent said interest in Mexico is way down and low prices aren't winning people back.

"I'm not sure it will make a difference for those who are worried about safety issues, because they're weighing the safety of their family against price and there's just no comparison when it comes to that," said agent Lindy Rothenburger.

Rothenburger said the safety issue used to be a concern only in connection with Mexican border towns, where drug-gang violence was most prevalent, but that has changed.

"There have been way too many news items about violence in the resort areas. Its spilled into those areas really badly, so people are saying, Hm, maybe Ill wait for Mexico another time."

Guevara was scheduled to meet Thursday night with tourist industry representatives and with officials from WestJet on Friday.