Travel News You Can Use
By Judy Newell June 13, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

News from Mexico

Calderón emphasizes tourist safety

President Felipe Calderón underlined the importance of keeping visitors safe as he installed the newly organized Tourism Consultation Council, composed of 12 cabinet ministers and several private sector leaders.

Although travel to Mexico continues to increase, there is concern that it may be adversely affected by the war on drug smuggling, which has taken some 4,150 lives since Calderón took office in December 2006 and launched his war on narcotics gangs that threatened to seize control of the country. Among those killed were some 450 soldiers, police officers, prosecutors and judges. Thus far no tourists have been hurt, but Calderón made clear his concern over possible incidents.

For the moment, however, the biggest risk is crossing streets. Pedestrian accidents account for an average of 3.4 deaths daily in Mexico City alone. Homicides in the capital average only 1.9 per day.

Cleanup promised for Acapulco Bay

The federal government will invest 70 million pesos (about US$7 million) in a program to end the pollution of Acapulco Bay.

President Felipe Calderón spoke of the project during closing ceremonies at the Tianguis Turistico trade show in Acapulco last month. Now details have been published.

The 14 sewage treatment plants in Acapulco will be “rehabilitated.” Currently, an estimated 400 gallons of sewage are dumped into the bay every second. Why the treatment plants were not maintained has not been explained. Until now, local authorities in Acapulco have denied that the bay is polluted.

Mexico takes steps to avert shark attacks

Tourism officials in Mexico are scrambling to reassure travelers that Zihuatanejo and its surrounding beaches are safe after several recent shark attacks. Sharks killed two surfers within the past month in separate incidents, while a third surfer escaped an attack with only gashes on his arm.

Authorities immediately began killing dozens of sharks in the area, prompting international protests as a result, so now they’ve increased their shore patrols. Experts say it’s more dangerous to drive to the beach in Mexico than to get into the water along its beaches.

Billion dollars for condo construction

The Related Group, a Hispanic real estate organization in the US, has announced plans to invest more than US$1 billion constructing condominium apartments in Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo.

The first project, with 343 units, is now being built in Puerto Vallarta and is 73 percent sold. Most of the purchasers are from the Guadalajara area. Although the Related Group had American retirees in mind, company officials report these potential customers are hesitant due to the economic situation in the US.

Oaxaca’s grand fiesta

The Fiestas de los Lunes del Cerro (Monday Celebrations of the Hill) take place during the entire month of July in Oaxaca City. The fiesta, better known as Guelaguetza, is celebrated the two Mondays following July 16. Everyone in the city participates in the event, which coincides with the end of the season in which the community sows corn and includes offerings to the deity who protects the corn, the Goddess Centeotl.

Guelaguetza is a Zapotec word that means to offer, share or give as a gift. Seven traditional and folkloric regions express their offering to Oaxaca City in the fiesta: Los Valles Centrales, La Sierra Juarez, La Cañada, Tuxtepec, La Mixteca, La Costa, and the Istmo de Tehuantepec.

Each group presents examples of its cultural heritage by dressing in typical clothes from their respective towns and performing dances to the sounds of their unique music and chants. Upon finishing, each group distributes among the audience its Guelaguetza, which is made up of handicrafts, fruits or bread from its respective region.

The Fiestas de los Lunes del Cerro is considered the biggest folkloric festival in Latin America.

Puerto Vallarta resort begins US$10.7 million renovation

The CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa in Mexico announced May 28 the beginning of a US$10.7 million renovation scheduled for completion by October 31. The portion that has already begun is the renovation of the resort’s guest rooms and suites. The project also calls for the enhancements of the banquet rooms and the resort’s main restaurant, La Estancia. We were told the resort would not be closed during the renovation.

Unik Island Resort opens flagship Mexico property

Unik Island Resort & Spa, a new luxury boutique brand in Mexico, will open its flagship hotel on November 1, 2008, on Isla Mujeres. Just off the coast of Cancún, reached by a 25-minute private yacht transfer, the resort will feature 84 suites and full-service amenities.

There will be six restaurants and bars and the pool area is built on four different levels which follow the lay of the land. The resort’s Spa Izel will offer a mixture of Mayan treatments and modern techniques.



International News

State Department drops Indonesia warning, remains cautious

The US Embassy in Jakarta informed Americans that the Travel Warning for Indonesia, effective May 23, 2008, has been cancelled. However, the embassy will not modify security precautions in light of this development and urges public facilities in Indonesia to maintain their current high level of security as terrorist threats remain. 

The embassy reminds Americans living in and traveling to Indonesia that the information in the Country Specific Information for Indonesia, as well as the Worldwide Caution, still remains valid. American citizens are urged to read the newly revised Country Specific Information Sheet, which can be found on the State Department’s website at http://travel.state.gov.


Mirror, mirror in the hall

It’s been three years since sections of Versailles’s Hall of Mirrors were sealed off for a top-to-bottom US$16 million makeover. Drop cloths have finally been removed, allowing visitors to once again view the hall in its entire 240-foot-long, 357-mirror splendor.

 This was the first time that the hall—built as a royal banquet space for Louis XIV—had been completely cleaned and restored from the parquet flooring to the ceiling frescoes by Élisabeth-Louise Vigée-Le Brun, the most famous woman painter of the eighteenth century and a confidante of Marie Antoinette.

Cruise News

Now that’s coming home looking really good

In what Norwegian Cruise Line is calling a first, it is now offering Botox treatments in its Mandara-operated spas. The treatments are now available on select ships and NCL plans to launch them fleet-wide this fall.

All of the treatments are performed under the supervision of medically licensed doctors who have been trained in the administration of these treatments, which also include Restylane and Perlane.

Crystal plans fall jazz cruise in Mexican Riviera.

Crystal Cruises will host more than two dozen jazz legends and contemporary artists on the Crystal Symphony’s November 30 Mexican Riviera cruise from Los Angeles. The seven-day cruise will visit Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

Scheduled to appear are the Harry Allen Quartet, Pieter Meijers Quartet, Bob Wilber Quintet and a variety of solo headliners who will fill the ship with the sounds of jazz in the classic styles of the thirties, forties and fifties, with more than six jazz pianists, eight brass musicians and seven on drums and strings. Also scheduled is guest lecturer Loren Schoenberg, author of The NPR Curious Listeners Guide to Jazz. The jazz cruise is timed to coincide with the San Diego Jazz Festival. Fares for the cruise begin at US$1,999 per person, double occupancy.



Airlines

No more pretzels

US Airways announces it would no longer serve free snacks in economy effective June 1. So say goodbye to those little bags of pretzels and peanuts that sometimes keep passengers from starving during long delays on the ground.

Another airline bites the dust

Silverjet ceased operations on May 30. The UK-based, all-business-class airline had offered flights from London/Luton to both Dubai and Newark. The carrier said an expected investment did not materialize as planned, forcing the shut-down. Executives are still scrambling for new funds to begin operating again.

BA increases fuel surcharge

British Airways will increase its fuel surcharge on all short- and long-haul tickets issued beginning June 3, 2008. The decision reflects continuing high oil prices. The fuel surcharge increase on tickets from North American point-of-sale departures range from US$12 to $120 roundtrip over the existing fuel surcharges. In other words a long-haul segment (over nine hours’ flying) will now have a fuel charge of US$450 per ticket.


Sources: Mexican Tourism News, OSSN, Visit Mexico, Travel Agent Central, Modern Agent, Budget Travel, British Airways.

Judy Newell, a writer and travel industry executive, heads the custom tour company Perfect Journeys that specializes in luxury and adventure travel. Contact her with comments or suggestions at JudyNewell_03@msn.com  or go to her website www.PerfectJourneys.net.