Last Updated
Cancun officials are working hard to show travelers that they are dedicated to their safety and security while visiting the popular beach resort vacation getaway destination in Mexico.
They are also trying to demonstrate that they are taking immediate action to protect visitors, hoping to improve the city’s low security rating with the United States Department of State.
Enhancing Tourist Safety
The latest step Cancun and Quintana Roo officials are taking to improve the image of the Mexican Caribbean travel hotspot is to implement a brand new tourist security desk to handle and address security and safety concerns brought up by travelers.
The tourist security desk is manned by officials from the different state and municipal agencies that are directly responsible for the protection of travelers in Cancun.
Among the many different safety agencies involved in the brand new security initiative are representatives of the health cabinet, civil protection, citizen security, tourism, mobility, the Tourism Promotion Council and the State Attorney General’s Office.
Mission of the Tourist Security Desk
The mission of the tourist safety desk is to take coordinated action to improve the safety and security of travelers to Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean.
For example, they are on immediate standby in the event of an emergency incident, such as a strong hurricane approaching Cancun.
According to the President of the Hotel Association of Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres Jesús Almaguer Salazar, this is one of the main functions of the group.
They are the incident command to provide support to protect travelers during emergency events.
However, they also meet regularly to discuss issues connected to the general safety and security of tourists in the area.
Secretary of State Safety Rating
The United States Secretary of State rating for the State of Quintana Roo, which includes Cancun, has been largely unchanged since August 22, 2023.
According to the Secretary of State, tourists visiting Quintana Roo should “Exercise Increased Caution,” and they have the traveler threat level at level two.
“Criminal activity and violence may occur in any location, at any time, including in popular tourist destinations,” says the official State Department threat report about Quintana Roo. “Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations.”
However, with the recent increases in crime in Mexico, including Quintana Roo, there is a chance that it could be elevated to level three.
The hope is that increased action to protect travelers in Cancun, including the development of the tourist security desk, will help keep the level at least the same.
What Travelers Need to Know
Tourists visiting the Mexican Caribbean should feel secure that state and municipal officials are dedicated to their safety and security and are taking proactive steps to increase the protection provided to travelers.
While crime has been on the increase across the area, especially in Tulum, there is a focus on bringing the issue under control before it gets any worse in the area and impacts tourists and tourism even more.
The coordinated effort of the tourist security desk by multiple agencies across several levels of government is definitely a step in the right direction to make sure critical safety and security issues in the region are addressed and travelers to the Mexican Caribbean are adequately protected.
With hurricane season quickly approaching, it is also a proactive movement to make sure that large incidents that threaten travelers, such as a hurricane, are addressed to ensure the protection of visitors to the beach resort community is top of mind when an emergency occurs.
Plan Your Next Cancun Vacation:
Traveler Alert: Don’t Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip!
Choose From Thousands of Cancun and Riviera Maya Hotels, Resorts and Hostels with Free Cancellation On Most Properties
↓ Join the community ↓
The Cancun Sun Community FB group has all the latest travel news, conversations and tourism Q&A’s for the Mexican Caribbean
Subscribe to our Latest Posts
Enter your email address to subscribe to The Cancun Sun’s latest breaking news affecting travelers, straight to your inbox.
Rob
Monday 8th of April 2024
Cancun to Tulum is very safe and compared to US cities it crime free relatively speaking