More than one month after Mexican drug cartel violence in the state of Jalisco and Puerto Vallarta, the popular Mexico tourist region and city each say they have returned to business as usual, despite Jalisco still being under a U.S State Department Level 3 “Reconsider Travel’’ advisory.
“All of the cruise ships and airlines have come back,’’ Luis Villaseñor, CEO of – Puerto Vallarta Conventions & Visitors Bureau told me. “And for Spring Break, we’ve seen a lot of visitors from the U.S. and Canada.
“We’ve been working with our travel partners on telling people about this region and how safe it is.’’
To that end, the State of Jalisco Tourism Office reports that mobility in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area and Puerto Vallarta is operating at 100 percent;. public transportation is functioning normally; taxis and ride share platforms each are fully active; tourist boat tours are operating on their usual routes; and hotel operations remain stable and functioning normally.
In addition, restaurant and commercial activity is operating regularly in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, and event venues remain open and functioning – although some events have adjusted dates.
The area has some of Mexico’s top courses, including Vista Vallarta Club de Golf. Approximately 30 minutes from downtown Puerto Vallarta, Vista Vallarta features layouts designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf.
The Nicklaus course has some great views of city’s marina, but my favorite is the Weiskopf course on the west side of the property. Weiskopf created a layout with narrow fairways that wind through jungle and deep ravines.
Many of Puerto Vallarta’s hotels are filling up with reservations for June’s World Cup matches in Guadalajara, Villaseñor said, which is less than an hour’s flight and approximately a three-hour drive. The other two World Cup sites in Mexico – in Mexico City and Monterrey – also are within easy flying/driving distance of the city..
“We hope more people will discover Jalisco and Puerto Vallarta because of the World Cup,’’ Villaseñor said. “There is good value here and we have a lot of activities throughout the year.
“Most of the people who live are from this region. We always are proud to share and welcome visitors.’’
Feature Photo: Puerto Vallarta (Puerto Vallarta Conventions & Visitors Bureau)
