Andrea Zelinski
With six weeks to go before the FIFA World Cup, Mexico could use a win.
I'm not talking about the Mexican soccer team. I'm referring to the country and its tourism, which has been hit by a pair of violent events this year, casting a shadow on Mexico as it prepares to host three World Cup games.
On April 20, a lone gunman climbed one of the scenic Teotihuacan pyramids, at a Unesco Heritage Site outside of Mexico City. He then reportedly shot at tourists, killing a Canadian and leaving 12 others injured. Six of them were Americans.
The shooter, Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but not before reportedly threatening to "sacrifice" tourists as they lay on the ground. According to the New York Times, he told them the pyramid "was built for sacrifice, not for you to come and take your little photos."
His motivations are still unclear, although government officials said he carried notes related to a past American mass shooting in April 1999, possibly the Columbine High School shooting, when 12 students and a teacher were killed 27 years ago to the day.
While Americans can, perhaps unfortunately, understand that a mass shooting is not reflective of an entire nation, the timing and location could hardly have been worse from a tourism standpoint. The Teotihuacan pyramids, a major attraction an hour outside Mexico City, are slated to host a nighttime interactive light show to welcome tourists for the World Cup game, sparking concerns about safety.
The shooting happened two months after violence erupted in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, the latter another World Cup host city. Spurred after the murder of a cartel leader, no tourists were reportedly injured, but cars were burnt and roads were blocked, and the U.S. Embassy instructed Americans to shelter in place until the dust settled.
Reflections on demand
Travel sellers and suppliers have since noted softness in demand for Mexico. Advisors have noted their Mexico business is down, but are optimistic it will bounce back. When reporting their first quarter earnings this month, executives at both Delta and Southwest pinned Mexico as a weak spot.
Delta chief commercial officer Joe Esposito described Mexico leisure as "dragging," adding, "we've moved that capacity out very quickly after the events, and that capacity is down for the foreseeable future," referring to the cartel action. While weak, Southwest noted sequential improvement in Mexico demand over the last few weeks, said COO Andrew Watterson.
Meanwhile, Michelle Fridman Hirsch, secretary of tourism for Jalisco (which includes Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta), said the state continues to see sustained engagement from both the trade and consumers.
"The state has a long-standing reputation as a leading cultural and tourism destination, and demand continues to reflect confidence in the region's visitor offering," she said.
Boosting security measures
Mexican officials have worked to assure the public and visitors that their destination is a safe place since the cartel incident. After the shooting, Mexican security secretary Omar Garcia Haruch said security forces have been ordered to "immediately strengthen security" at major tourist destinations and archaeological sites across the country, reported the Associated Press.
This will mean an increased presence by the Mexican National Guard, and beefed-up surveillance systems and security checks. Government officials plan to deploy more than 2,000 military vehicles and dozens of aircraft and drones, and establish security perimeters around areas like stadiums and airports in key cities, the AP reports.
So, in the run-up to the World Cup, what does a win look like for Mexico right now? Perhaps no more bad news, revved up demand and a whole lot of cheering. Let me know what you're hearing from your clients about interest in Mexico and the World Cup at [email protected].