Mexico: CNET warns that insecurity drives away tourists

Braulio Arsuaga, president of the National Tourism Business Council (CNET), stated at Abastur 2024 that the challenge facing the sector is insecurity, because the country’s poor image drives away tourists and stops the growth of small and medium-sized businesses. He also called for greater economic and legal security for investors.

“We think that this industry is made up of big players, but that is not the case. The 67 billion euros are generated by 850,000 economic entities with less than 10 employees. Look at the importance of this industry compared to all the others,” said Arsuaga, also CEO of Grupo Presidente, as reported by El Economista.

He also stressed that the sector requires economic and legal security. “When we talk about security, we are not only talking about physical security. Yes, of course, the integrity of tourists and service providers is important, but in the end what we also want is legal security, which makes these businesses possible,” said Arsuaga.

He recalled that, “when a hotelier opens a Hotel, he does not open it for five years, he opens it for 40 years, and also economic security, so that we know that there is a stable country, that is moving forward and that the million-dollar investments in tourism can be safe here,” said Arsuaga.

As reported by REPORTUR.mxthe lack of security in Mexico for tourists has become more public lately. Recently, a family of tourists from Arizona were travelling in a Nissan van on the Sonora highway, at kilometer 220 of the highway that connects Sonoyta with Caborca, they were attacked with bullets, leaving two tourists dead (Mexico: two female tourists from the USA murdered in Sonora).