Despite a U.S. State Department travel alert warning citizens of increased violence in Mexico, some Boston University students said they still plan to travel south of the border for spring break.
The alert, issued Feb. 20 – on the cusp of the college spring break season – warned travelers of increasingly violent conflict between Mexican drug cartels, especially along the U.S.-Mexico border. According to the State Department website, 100,000 teens and college students travel to Mexico during spring break each year.
‘I vaguely heard about this warning before, but I put it off as a general warning of Mexico being unsafe,’ School of Management junior Ishaan Gupta, who will travel to Acapulco next week, said. ‘Crime is everywhere. As long as people are careful and use general precautionary measures, it’s fine.’
The State Department alert stated that violence between drug cartels ‘have resembled small-unit combat.’ Drug cartels have used machine guns and hand grenades against rival drug cartels as well as against Mexican security services along the U.S. border. U.S. citizens in the area were prevented from leaving during these times.
STA Travel spokesman Patrick Evans said the travel alert has not significantly affected the amount of students booking trips to Mexico for spring break. STA Travel is an agency that provides discount travel options to students.
‘Cancun has been our most popular spring break destination for several years, and, even this year, it remained our top booking destination,’ Evans said.
No matter where students travel, they should keep an eye out on their belongings, travel in groups, drink and party responsibly, use common sense and leave a copy of their travel itinerary and contact information with family members or friends before leaving, Evans said.
College of Arts and Sciences graduate student Ashley Seamans, who traveled to Mexico four years ago for spring break, said recent tragedies, such as the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, have increased safety concerns regarding young people traveling abroad. In 2005, 18-year-old Holloway disappeared while on a high school graduation trip in Aruba and remains missing, but is suspected to have been murdered.
‘We had totally different concerns back then, such as sun tan lotion, drinking water, what clothes to wear,’ Seamans said. ‘Safety was never a concern for us.’
To stay safe, Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore said students should always travel in groups, carry cell phones with them and be aware of their belongings and surroundings.
‘I hope people are aware that there are plenty of folks out there trying to take advantage of fun-loving, good-natured college students,’ he said. ‘There are lots of jerks out there, lots of knuckleheads out there, lots of people that prey on college kids, so I hope people are not na’iuml;ve about that.’
SMG sophomore Jisoo Choi, who lived in Mexico for six years before her family moved to Alabama, said she thinks Mexico is not any more dangerous than anywhere else in North America.
‘The tourist areas are fairly safe in Mexico,’ Choi said. ‘They are very crowded, and the security is really good. If you go to the wrong streets and sketchy places, there is a risk of getting mugged, but I don’t think it is unsafe for travelers as long as you are not stupid about it.’
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