The US Department of State has issued a Level 2 Travel Advisory for Mexico, which has recently evolved into a famous tourist destination. The Advisory does not contain any serious issues other than more caution while traveling. Moreover, Mexico has always been a country with a vast tourism industry, and it is generally considered safe for traveling. If this is the case, what forced the US Government to modify the travel advisory for Mexico? One of the travelers pointed out some points about Mexico that others should consider before planning. This is when the Americans themselves are fond of traveling in Mexico due to its proximity. In numbers, the National Travel and Tourism Office found approximately 30 million Americans visited Mexico in 2022.
Despite such a large population visiting Mexico every year, people never faced a single issue during their stay. However, they came up when an analyst from the US released some areas in Mexico to skip during the trip.
What is mentioned in the Travel Advisory issued by the US for Mexico?
This month has observed significant happenings in the world, especially in the US, which has undergone major policy changes. The US travel advisory for 2025 was different from past ones, which mentioned the best tourist spots in Mexico. Out of four Levels, the advisory has rated the travel to Mexico to Level 2 severity due to increasing terrorism, crime, and kidnapping. While these issues are prevalent in almost every country, this issue has been brought up for Mexico. According to the reports, the nation has recently observed many homicidal, kidnapping, carjacking, and theft cases. Additionally, Mexico has become a red zone for terrorist attacks and other terrorism-related activities.
While this issue looks overly concerning while reading, it has been entitled Level 2 for a reason. It is not as severe as it sounds, as a minor caution while traveling is enough to stay protected. Moreover, there have been advisories in the US that were even more severe than this level. The Level 3 advisory indicates ‘reconsider travel’ due to a high probability of mishap. Similarly, the Level 4 advisory is the last stage of consideration, as it screams ‘do not travel’ to Americans.
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Do not divert to Non-Tourist Spots
Level 2 advisory doesn’t mean that tourists are safe in all parts of Mexico, as some parts are red-zoned. Therefore, the main aim of this report was to inform travelers to stick to the tourist hotspots for safety. Director of Intelligence at the International Security Firm Global Guardian, Mike Ballard, conversed with USA Today over this topic. He was convinced that when traveling, citizens must be attentive towards their surroundings and stay in tourist spots. By ignoring suspicious spots, they can still have a great experience in Mexico without any danger. Additionally, they should plan their trip after researching all the places that are unsafe to travel in. Among all the tourist places, only one becomes unsafe for travel: coastal Acapulco. Apart from that, a state that you would prefer not to visit ever is Guerrero in Mexico, with sky-high crime rates. If that’s not enough for you to not step in there, know that it had a homicide rate of 37.5 per 100,000 people in 2024.
Level 4 warnings for a few states in Mexico
Every country has places that are neglected in terms of basic amenities, and often experience higher crime rates. In Mexico, a few states, like Guerrero, are on the list of states with the highest crime rates. Many more states, such as Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas, are red zones for tourists. Thus, they are categorized under Level 4 warning by the tourist advisory of the US.
Some of the states are also categorized under Level 3 Travel Advisory, as their crime rates are not negligible. These states include Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, and Sonora. Moreover, they are in this list, as they are at moderate risk of criminal activities, especially in tourist areas.
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Conclusion
While several Mexican states have qualified for a higher-level travel advisory, it is still safe to travel to tourist destinations. However, the country can’t help you if you are negligent about your safety. Thus, to keep yourself safe, lock your curiosity beyond the tourist spots to avoid dangerous situations. Most tourist destinations are always guarded by qualified police officers, making them suitable and safe for travel.
You should always take care that you don’t wear expensive jewelry while traveling and only use registered taxis. Additionally, not roaming at night will also save you from unwanted encounters on the street. Overall, taking precautions and enjoying yourself to your fullest should be your goal while going south.
