Fake News or Real: Analysis of the Impact of Travel Alerts in Mexico’s Sun and Sea Main Tourist Destinations

The purpose of this document is to analyze the possibility of a negative impact due to the travel alerts issued  by the State Department of the United States to the most important sun and sea tourist destinations in  Mexico, such as Cancun, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, and Acapulco. In recent years, it has been observed  some issues have affected the tourism industry such as increased violence, insecurity, and crime. Due to  that, most of the international visitors to Mexico come from The United States so The State department feels  committed with their citizens and decide to publish and disseminate the aforementioned alerts; however,  these alerts, even with an end to good intentions, can become a double-edged sword with which tourism  destinations are affected, mainly in their influx of visitors. With the present analysis, we intended to have a  reach with experts in the subject such as authors who have studied the phenomenon, national information as reference material.

The method in the research and analysis was carried out through the documental and, in the same way,  statistical data were compiled as a study guide within official platforms, such as DATATUR. INEGI and  UNWTO. In particular, an attempt was made to address a range of ten years on the dates of the consultation material (2007-2017) to study the situation.

The findings were that these alerts cause the decrease flows of American tourists to main Mexico’s sun and  sea tourist destinations, as consequence, the local population might be affected for all the lack of income.

Keywords: State Department, Travel Alerts, Sun and Sea Destinations, Violence, Security.