serious question

[ZenDiver.3D]

The problem with the reports about the violence is that as they say in the news business, if it bleeds, it leads. so they make no effort stating that the violence is mainly seen in border towns in northern Mexico. Tourists are just as safe in Cancun as they would be in any other place (of course there are areas to avoid just like anywhere else, but they are pretty well far from the tourist areas).
The swine flu had a huge impact. pretty much overnight hotel occupancy dropped to like 5% (yes, five).
Europeans generally tend to go further south. Puerto Morelos, Playa, Tulum, etc.

It is the press. If you believed it, everyone in Mexico is a drug dealer and shooting up the streets everywhere. Just like here in Kuwait. People think I am hiding in a tent from the camel riding terrorists here in the Middle East. Actually, I am struggling with whether to buy the Gucci or Prada shoes here at the new 360 Mall.........

Gotta love the press.

 

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

2009 has definitely been a triple threat for Mexico (economy, swine flu & drugs). These days I feel like I'd probably have a better chance of getting H1N1 at home (one of my coworkers recently had it). We're headed to Cozumel and south of Cancun in December so we'll be spreading the wealth a little.

In general though, it's like this everywhere. Today a woman came into my store and commented on how dead we were and asked if we were closing. I work in a 100% commission sales environment and everyone's income is down thus less spending by all. Also headed to Curacao in November and it seemed to me that they haven't been very busy either. One of my co-workers just went to Las Vegas and said it was actually somewhat crowded but mostly from foreigners.

 

[driftwood]

I think that one of the big reasons is how the banks are treating their credit card accounts. Vacations are planned in advance and in a lot of cases financed through revolving lines of credit (credit cards). The rates the banks charged spiked last year and that has lead to consumers to do as little charging as possible. For the first time, debit card transactions exceeded credit card transactions. It is an indicator that consumers have shifted to a pay as you go way of thinking. That change in attitude is a major hit to discretionary spending like tourism.

Second, with most 401K accounts looking like 201k's, there is not much confidence that now is the right time to be spending. The American consumer has gone into a "bunker" mode of thinking. It is not just travel that is hurting, most dive shops in my area are seeing 30-50% drops in business.

Third, Mexico has buried its collective head in the sand for too long dealing with internal problems . Regarding the Swine Flu, it is one rapidly spreading virus. At a local middle school 60% of the students got it in one week. When the outbreak initially occurred, the public health officials in Mexico limited the data to the CDC and quite frankly made the problem seem worse than it was. That lack of firm data caused a media panic. "It must be really bad for them to take such extreme steps to hide the data." We can all be thankful that this version is nothing like the 1918 virus, but the fear was real and the damage is just as real. Drug violence, if you live close to the border, you will be bombarded with stories. 200 miles away in central Texas, not much mention of it on local media. It is just something that is in the back of your mind.

The only thing that has changed in Cancun is that the tourist dollars are not flowing from the US. You are not doing anything wrong in QR. It will be a very rough time locally that will shake out the weaker players in your economy. BTW, don't expect '10-11 to be any better, time to cut costs to the bone.

 

[Spratman]

Hey Eric,

Well, I can tell you from my last trip, that I got hosed by the resort. I planned my budget from my 2007 trip and it was blown as soon as I got there. I was jerked around by the resort. Prices were up about 40%!! Hamburger $9, a beer $5....I read them the riot act.

However, it is not just the resort I stayed at. All of the places jacked the prices. I don't understand the logic. Most resorts, as you said, are at about 1/3 capacity. So, what do they do? They jack the prices and screw the vacationers that took their vacations anyway.

Went to a couple of local habitats downtown with some of your buds. The food was great and inexpensive. Good service, we were treated very well. The only thing I did not see go up a great deal was the diving. Prices didn't change much since 2007.

Everyone else hit the nail on the head. It's the economy up here. I work for a very large pharmaceutical company and it has changed it's business model. It is condensing it's workforce. Many of us are waiting around for the ax to fall. Everyone has pulled back. As Driftwood said, the credit card companies are screwing everyone. I had my interest rate jacked about 4% on every card and one like 10%. No missed payments, etc. They are doing it because they can.

Anyway, for those that do come down, it's too expensive. I agree, don't expect it to get much better....

 

[kjack_1]

Interesting thread.

10% US unemployment (well, 9.8% but expected to hit 10%)
Bad US ecomony/credit
H1N1 event
Threat of violence (heck, MX even made the news in my little hick town and had one of my traveling companions ready to cancel their trip)

I was in Cancun in Sept.

Cost of taxis are up even though gas prices are down (last year it was $3 p/p to go a couple 10ths of a mile - this time it was $5.
Beer prices were up :shocked2: $4 for a Tecate?
Some local favorite restuarants had significant increase in prices
Pier fees. (I don't mind the $2 a day to dive the park, but three bucks to walk down the pier??)
Scuba prices seem to be up. For us it was up $10 p/person p/day
Shops seem a little bit harder to haggle with - even the fake cuban cigars were high priced.

Good things:
I can find better prices on flights and hotels now....which means I'll be in Coz in November with less crowds.

Sometimes, ya just gotta go.

 

[DeputyDan]

I had planned a 10 day work/dive trip to Cancun this fall but chose not to go after one of my clients (who is from the area) told me not to go due to the crime situation. I have no reason not to believe him.

So for me I did not go due to potential crime (whether the reality is factual or not)

 

[Beyond_Diving]

thanks for your answers everybody. I hope the ones who have canceled trips due to fear of violence will reconsider. Cancun, Playa, Cozumel are still friendly, safe and fun places to visit.

 

[Jax]

I had planned a 10 day work/dive trip to Cancun this fall but chose not to go after one of my clients (who is from the area) told me not to go due to the crime situation. I have no reason not to believe him.

So for me I did not go due to potential crime (whether the reality is factual or not)

Your client is off-base. Cozumel in March, incl a trip to Chitzen Itza (sp?) and some night life. Never felt threatened, never saw any issues, nor heard of any from fellow tourists.

San Carlos several times this year; we own September in a condo. No probs.

We live 4.5 miles from Mexico. No Probs.

Juarez & Tiajuana? Uhhh . . . iffy.

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

I agree, Cancun and Cozumel are pretty safe. Which shouldn't be taken as they're completely safe. No place is and you still need to pack some common sense. And I can almost guarantee you that if you get on a scooter in Cozumel, or step off of the curb thinking that pedestrians have the right-of-way (the rule is:might makes right), you're going to get hurt.

Juarez & Tiajuana? Uhhh . . . iffy.

Juarez and TJ are definitely not iffy. Stay the hell away from them!!!!! :ar15:

 

[Beyond_Diving]

Juarez and TJ are definitely not iffy. Stay the hell away from them!!!!! :ar15:

very far away... nothing to do/see there anyways