Below is a statement by the Quintana Roo Tourism Board provided to W5, in reaction to W5's story airing March 30.
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On behalf of the Quintana Roo Tourism Board, I am reaching out regarding the upcoming CTV W5 report airing this weekend regarding safety in Cancun.
Below are the most recent statistics and a quote from the CEO of the Quintana Roo Tourism Board to help put these incidents in perspective. It would be helpful to provide more context by including some of this information in the program’s tag or lead-in.
The State of Quintana Roo welcomed more than 15 million international tourists in 2018, an increase of 5.5% compared to the previous year. International visitors in February 2019 increased 1.2% compared to the same period the previous year. Over 1 million Canadians visited our State in 2018 and destinations, including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Riviera Maya, Holbox, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos, Bacalar, Tulum, Mahahual, and Chetumal.
The Government of Canada has zero Travel Advisory regarding Quintana Roo and its destinations.
While the State of Quintana Roo is working to address local issues of crime and violence, it’s important to highlight that the overwhelming majority of incidents are between local residents and take place far from areas frequented by tourists. Whether one is traveling abroad or in their home town, it’s important to be a smart traveler and follow best practices such as avoiding areas not frequented by tourists, seeking out and following the advice of locals, and not engaging in risky behavior.
The State of Quintana Roo and its municipal government leaders are committed to maintaining the safety its destinations and will continue to take proactive steps towards this goal. This includes modernizing its police and security services, investing in technology including more than 1,000 cameras, upgraded operations centers, partnering with members of the tourism industry to share international best practices, and providing assistance to visitors whenever necessary.
“The State of Quintana Roo and Cancun has made unprecedented investments in security over the past the year. It is extremely important for Canadian tourists to understand that the increase in violence has had almost zero impact on tourists or tourist areas. It is critical for your viewers to understand the real facts - tens of millions of Canadians have visited Quintana Roo over the past 10 years and the vast majority of them are not involved in any sort of incidents because they’re not involved in crime. They have a great time and come back over and over again.” - Ing. Darío Flota Ocampo, CEO Quintana Roo Tourism Board
Thank you,
Quintano Roo Tourism Board
