Tourism Plunge?

[Flashermac]

Though the protests and violence have ended, the tourists still seem to be going elsewhere. Chiang Mai and Kyoto are gone from the list too. And they can recommend Mexico City despite all the drug gang violence going on in that country?

 

 

[Guest]

Not a farang anymore, now you can become a gringo

 

http://www.visitmexico.com/en/

[Flashermac]

I'm already a gringo. When I was a kid, I lived about 20 miles north of the border and was a minority in my school.

 

But I have sense enough to avoid Mexico right now!

 

"... The latest data from Mexico’s Ministry of Government (Gobernación) supports FTI’s assessment. Between January and February of this year, the National System on Public Security (SNSP), the ministry’s agency in charge of translating violence into numbers, reports 330 kidnappings and 1,305 extortion cases nationwide, an 11% and 4.5% increase, respectively, in relation to the same period in 2013. The State of Mexico, [President] Peña Nieto’s home state (which is one step away from Mexico City), has the highest number of homicides and extortions, while Tamaulipas, bordering the state of Texas, registers the highest level of kidnappings.

 

"Though Mexico City, the nation’s capital, has not witnessed the levels of violence of other regions, Holder said security is deteriorating there also. â€During the past 15 months there has been an increase in homicides linked to organized crime, as well as some increase in common criminality such as home invasions, armed robbery and theft of merchandise in transit,†Holder told me by e-mail. He said that the most serious threats to businessmen in the states of Tamaulipas, Guerrero, Michoacán and Mexico are extortion, kidnapping and violence related to organized crime, even though they can also be the victims of ordinary crime in metropolitan areas such as Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey."

 

...

 

http://www.forbes.co...fti-consulting/

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

Charleston? What is there that makes it get to the 2nd spot on that list?

 

Sanuk!

[radioman]

Chiang Mai might have gone from the list but Kyoto went from 5th to 1st!

[Pom Michael]

KS - sorry - can't answer your question - I lived there for 6 years (5th - 10th grades in High School) - and besides the old time feel of the southern city with no really tall skyscrapers - I have no idea how it is ranked 2nd in the world.

 

Besides this cultural event every year - I don't know of too much there to bring tourists.

 

http://spoletousa.org/

[jitagawn]

It still seems fairly quiet even after the Army took over and the streets returned to "normal"

(Whatever that is in BKK)

Flash I still keep a home in SD also just 20 minutes from the border and I avoid Baja

Like the plague. ( used to work and surf down there but it's too dicey now)

[Flashermac]

My parents used to cross the border for dinner and dancing in Ciudad de Juarez every Saturday. I loved the city - great food, fun places for a kid to explore. Once in a while, we'd go to Las Palomas, which looked just like a town in a spaghetti western. Nowadays, it is too dangerous even to step across the border.

 

I was in Tijuana once. That was enough.

[baa99]

[baa99]

Charleston, SC

 

History, food, beach, fishing, friendly natives.