The update of this week on how the State Department issues travel advisories welcomed few changes for how Los Cabos is rated. Rodrigo Esponda, managing director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board, talked with the Travel Agent on the meaning of the changes for the destination’s tourism.
“I think it’s encouraging, that this underscores our belief that Los Cabos is a safe and secure destination,” Esponda says. “I think the decision reflects our commitment to dedicate all the resources that we have to make sure Los Cabos remains a safe destination.”
Los Cabos is rated Level 2 under the new travel advisory system, Exercise Increased Caution, out of a possible four levels. This level suggests that the visitors to “be aware of heightened risks to safety and security,” and in case of Los Cabos, particularly observes that “turf battles between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. cities. Bystanders have been injured or killed in shooting incidents.”
Esponda states that the new system which can allocate varied security ratings to the numerous regions within a country, gives obvious information to potential visitors.
“Everyone now has a clear number,” Esponda says. “It’s a quantitative number versus a qualitative concept. Before, there was a lot of room for interpretation.”
The State Department in last August had integrated Los Cabos in an updated travel warning for all of Mexico. To address that caution, as well as recent terror attack incidents like the shootout incident past weekend, the destination is all set to execute a five-point security plan.
