Latest Travel News:

Travel Agents Get Audience With Mexican President
May 19, 2010

Two North Texas travel agencies are anxious to hear about Mexican President Felipe Calderon's visit to Washington this week.

Calderon will be the guest of honor at a White House state dinner Thursday night.

Following Calderon's meeting with President Obama the travel agents will head to Mexico to meet with Calderon about concerns North Texans have about vacationing south of the border this summer.

"I love the beautiful beaches," says Colleyville resident Shannon Chatham "One of the reasons we are going back to Mexico, the price we got was so good."

Chatham just booked a summer trip to Playa Del Carmen. The mother of three says the drug wars won't keep her family off the beach. "There has been some concern for several years and I've watched it very carefully."

The State Department has warned Americans against unnecessary travel to parts of the Northern States, but has emphasized that resort areas have not seen the same level of drug related violence as the border.

Those areas aren't immune however. Last month in Acapulco a total of 27 people were killed, four of the victims beheaded. "We do get questions about the security issues," says Terry Denton from Travel Leaders in Fort Worth.

Denton and Catherine Banks from Legacy Travel in Plano will be meeting Mexico's President Felipe Calderon on Friday. "I'm going to mostly listen and absorb and contribute my thoughts point of view from Travel Agency from the United States," explains Denton.

The two travel agencies were among a handful picked because of the number of travelers they send to Mexico, 65% of their vacations will be to the country this year.

They emphasize things are safe. "We are actually hundreds of miles closer to it sitting in this newsroom then you would be sitting on a beach with a cocktail," says Banks.

But before her big trip Chatham says she's spending a lot of time online reading up on the turf wars and making sure she's educated about her summer getaway. "There are sites you can go to and check out if a destination is safe," explained Chatham.

The State Department's recommendation is to skip July 4 travel to Mexico, they say that's when there will be state elections, and there could be protests.

Source :- http://cbs11tv.com/