Travelers To Los Cabos Unfazed Despite Recent U.S. Travel Advisory

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Crime and violence-related issues throughout other parts of Mexico, particularly Cancun, have sparked concerns amongst travelers heading to that particular destination.

Over 200% more people googled the search term “how safe is it to travel to Cancun” in the last few months. These concerns did not go unnoticed by the U.S. State Department, which issued a document detailing certain travel tips for “spring breakers,” particularly those headed to the Mexican Caribbean cities.

Noticeably absent though are any extra travel warnings or tips for people headed to Los Cabos. 

In the last full update to the travel advisory rating that the U.S. State Department provides, Cabo, or more specifically, Baja California Sur, where Cabo is located, got tagged with a level 2 travel warning rate. The region even got a special mention in the report, where it states, 

“There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Baja California Sur state, which includes tourist areas in: Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, and La Paz”

The main reason why we can confidently claim that travelers have been unfazed by the recent issues in other parts of Mexico and even the updated spring break travel advisory is that Cabo is on pace to welcome more visitors than it did last year.

Are tourists wise to travel to Cabo despite the level 2 warning rate? 

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How Does The US Issue These Travel Warnings?

There’s not necessarily a clear “grading system” when it comes to the travel advisory rating issued by the U.S. State Department.

Of course, the document, for example, explains that Baja California Sur is in a level 2 warning state because of the risk to travelers of overall crime and potential kidnapping threats.

How it’s determined that travelers are at a higher risk of encountering crime in Cabo than in Yucatán per se is kind of vague.

What is clear is that the State Department tends to issue special warnings when certain violent incidents take place.

Recently there was a wave of violent incidents that took place in the border town of Tijuana.

The U.S. State Department quickly provided an update to its ranking. Of course, including discouraging travel throughout the area. 

These documents tend to provide tips for travelers. In the special “spring break” document, for example, the U.S. State Department recommends, 

“Know your drinking companions and stay in a group of friends who have your safety in mind when you are in clubs and bars, out walking in dimly lit areas, or in a taxi at night.  Obey Mexican law and remember Mexican laws may differ from U.S. laws.”  

U.S. Authorities Actually Work In Conjunction With The Private Sector In Cabo On Security Matters

One of the things that may be able to put travelers to Cabo more at ease, if they weren’t already, is the fact that the private tourism sector in Cabo is known for collaborating with U.S. authorities to increase safety measures in the region.

In 2017 a wave of violence hit Cabo, and this prompted local authorities to seek help from the Mexican government.

The government didn’t provide the solutions they were looking for, so tourism industry companies consulted with the U.S. armed forces to create barracks to safeguard the main Cabo tourist hot spots. 

The Cabo tourism sector put in the funds for the project that was essentially designed by the U.S. military. Since 2017 there have been no major violence waves in Cabo.

This doesn’t mean, though, that petty theft isn’t an issue in the region. Perhaps the main reason why Baja California Sur remains with a level 2 travel advisory warning is precisely because many American tourists come to the region. 

The State Department doesn’t want people coming here with their guard fully down. As is the case with many tourist hot spots, pickpockets are something that you need to be on the lookout for in Cabo.

The tips given out by the State Department when it comes to staying safe on a night out can certainly apply in the Cabo region as well.

Overall, travelers are right to not be afraid to travel to Cabo. Still, taking general safety precautions are a good idea to avoid just any unwanted circumstance that could ruin a vacation.