Is it safe to travel to Mexico? What US officials recommend for tourists amid killings

Mary Ramsey
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Recent violent and sometimes fatal incidents involving Americans have raised questions whether it’s safe for tourists to travel to Mexico.

Four South Carolina natives were kidnapped and two of them killed Friday when they traveled to Mexico for one of them to undergo a medical procedure, McClatchy News reported. And in January, CBS News reported, Mexican officials confirmed an Ohio man was among multiple people killed in an incident over the Christmas holidays in the state of Zacatecas.

Officials say there are many parts of the country where tourists should take precautions if not avoid them altogether, though not all areas of Mexico are considered especially dangerous.

Here’s what to know about the latest official guidance for traveling to Mexico:

Is it safe to travel to Mexico?

The U.S. State Department’s official travel advisory for Mexico cautions that “violent crime – such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery – is widespread and common” in the country.

“The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted,” the advisory states. “In many states, local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities.”

Are some parts of Mexico safer than others for tourists?

There are multiple parts of Mexico that the State Department warns Americans to avoid entirely due to concerns about crime and/or kidnapping, including:

  • Colima state

  • Guerrero state

  • Michoacan state

  • Sinaloa state

  • Tamaulipas state

  • Zacatecas state

The State Department also encourages Americans to “reconsider travel to” or “exercise increased caution when traveling to” certain other parts of Mexico, including Mexico City, Baja California state and Baja California Sur state, which is home to Cabo San Lucas.

The state of Quintana Roo — which includes popular tourist areas such Cancun, Cozumel and the Riviera Maya — is another area where the State Departments advises visitors to “exercise increased caution due to crime and kidnapping.”

Two Mexican states, Campeche and Yucatan, make the State Department’s list of places where Americans can just “exercise normal precautions.”

Safety precautions, tips for travel to Mexico

If you do travel to Mexico, the State Department recommends not traveling at night and traveling in groups.

“Keep traveling companions and family back home informed of your travel plans. If separating from your travel group, send a friend your GPS location,” the department says. “If taking a taxi alone, take a photo of the taxi number and/or license plate and text it to a friend.”

Americans in Mexico should also “exercise increased caution when visiting local bars, nightclubs, and casinos,” per the State Department, and “not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.”

“Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs,” the department adds.

Travelers can register with the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program at step.state.gov to “receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country” and “help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.”

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