March 13, 2014 
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How Safe are Mexico's Border Cities for Business Travelers?

Cities along the nation's U.S. border have become markedly safer during the past couple of years, but the recent arrest of a drug lord could precipitate more violence. 

 

Part one of a two-part special series.

 

By Mark Chesnut

 

The recent arrest of Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman has cast renewed attention on the state of security in Mexico. But will the capture of a high-ranking narcotraficante make it safer for business travelers who must visit important border cities like Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana?

 

Unfortunately, the answer may be "no," according to William Vancio, the security adviser for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in Mexico. Vancio, who is based near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (U.S.), travels frequently to provide security support to IHG's offices and hotels. "Many analysts believe that the recent arrest of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman and other high-ranking 'capos' may precipitate more violence as others try to take control of the various cartels," he warns. "And there is the possibility of an escalation of violence, as other cartels compete to take control of the more lucrative border area smuggling routes. In other words, until the various cartels are actually eliminated or their power base is broken, security is still a major concern."

 

Streets of Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana See Noticeable Crime Drop

Still, there are some bright spots along the border, according to Jason Marczak, deputy director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C. that promotes leadership on international affairs. "In the last couple of years, the streets of Ciudad Juarez have become increasingly safer and more secure," Marczak says. "People are again going out at night, without the overhanging fear of violence en route to a restaurant or bar. A similar story is playing out in Tijuana, where crime began to noticeably drop starting in 2012."

Mexican Port of Entry

 

Marczak credits governmental efforts for the increased safety. "The Mexican government has pursued a multipronged approach to improving security, with a focus on recovering public space and putting in place programs geared toward at-risk youth," he says. "This comes in addition to other public security measures. The United States continues to improve its cooperation with Mexican authorities, but better coordination, especially in the repatriation of unauthorized immigrants, is clearly necessary."

 

A "Very Fluid" Situation

Vancio agrees that the safety situation is improving on the border. "In general, security in towns along the Mexico-U.S. border at the moment is better than it has been in a while,"he says. "However, I must say that the situation is very fluid. Many of the issues that contributed to the high-levels of violence over the last several years have not been resolved. Although the Mexican government has had some success in apprehending much of the high-level leadership, the cartels still represent a very significant threat."

 

U.S. State Department travel warnings for Mexico, which were updated in January, continue to discourage visitors headed to the border. Carjacking and highway robbery are serious problems in many parts of the border region, according to the latest warnings, which also advise travelers to exercise caution when traveling to business and shopping districts in the northeast section of Ciudad Juarez and its large industrial parks.

 

In practical terms, however, Marczak notes that while "U.S. travel warnings are an important indication of the safety of a particular country or region, [they] are generally more cautious than the on-the-ground situation dictates."

 

Part two of this two-part series will offer Vancio's key takeaways for travelers in Mexico's border regions, including IHG's security strategy for Mexico and the difficulty of predicting future security. Read it in next week's Latin Business Traveler.

 

For coverage of security in 19 countries around the Americas, see Latin Business Chronicle's Latin Security Index.

 

Mexican Port of Entry by CBP Photography

 

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Travel News

New Airline Routes and Route Changes

South America to Mexico

Aerolineas Argentinas inaugurated its first route into Mexico on March 2, when it began weekly Sunday flights between Buenos Aires Ezeiza airport and Cancun. It is the only service between Ezeiza and Cancun, and Aerolineas plans to increase service to three times a week on July 4.

 

International Connections

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways launched daily service between Hong Kong and New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport.

 

British Airways now flies five times a week between the U.S. city of Austin, Texas and London's Heathrow Airport. BA, which flies a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the route, will up service to daily as soon as May. 

American Airlines

 

Airline Alliance News

U.S. carriers American Airlines and JetBlue ended their frequent-flier and ticketing partnership. The two carriers have already stopped conducting interline sales for each other, and as of April 1, travelers will no longer be able to receive frequent flier miles or points for one carrier while flying on the other. Both airlines say any reciprocal miles or points that loyalty program members have already earned will be properly credited.

 

Garuda Indonesia officially became the 20th member of the SkyTeam alliance.

 

SriLankan Airlines will become a full member of the oneworld alliance on May 1; it will be the first Indian subcontinent-based airline to join a global alliance. SriLankan will add two destinations to the network: Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Tiruchirappalli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. SriLankan will follow TAM and US Airways, which become oneworld members at the end of this month.

 

Other Airline News

United Airlines has begun increasing the speed of in-flight Wi-Fi on many of its flights, although the carrier has not officially announced anything.  

Cali Marriott Hotel

 

Hotel News

The 170-room Cali Marriott Hotel opened in the Granada financial district in Cali, Colombia. The hotel, which offers complimentary on-site parking, has a dinner-only sushi restaurant, an all-day market, 5,586 square feet of meeting space in eight rooms, as well as two concierge levels. Rooms include a work desk and high-speed wired and wireless Internet access.

 

The Hyatt Place Manat� opened on Puerto Rico's northern coast in Manat�, which is part of the San Juan metropolitan airport. The 104-room select service hotel is located approximately 40 minutes from San Juan's Luis Mu�oz Mar�n International Airport. It offers free Wi-Fi in rooms and throughout the hotel's public spaces, as well as free breakfast, made-to-order food available 24 hours a day, a bar, a 24-hour gym and free public computers with Internet access and printing. The property, which has 1,900 square feet of flexible meeting space, is the first international hotel brand to open in Puerto Rico's north central region.

 

New York-based investment firm Paulson & Co. and Puerto Rico-based International Hospitality Enterprises purchased a majority interest in San Juan, Puerto Rico's Condado Vanderbilt and La Concha Renaissance Hotel and Tower. The two oceanfront properties in the city's Condado district contain a total of 802 rooms.

 

The Blue Residences condo-resort on Aruba's Eagle Beach opened its first tower, with six penthouses and 36 multi-bedroom units. A second tower should open in May.

 

Economy hotel chain Red Roof Inn will introduce the Red Roof Plus moniker for 31 of its hotels later this year. Red Roof Plus will indicate the property has modern furniture, flat-screen TVs, upgraded bedding, snack boxes, in-room coffee and tea, a mini-fridge and a microwave.

New Yorker Hotel

 

The New Yorker Hotel, located in New York City, across the street from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, joined the Wyndham brand as the Wyndham New Yorker. It is the chain's largest hotel, with 912 guest rooms, and plans to add another 114 rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting space (a 20% increase) within the next two years. 

 

The 74-room, beachfront Metropolitan by Como, Miami Beach opened in the former Traymore Hotel space in Miami Beach, Florida. The hotel is part of Singapore-based Como Hotels and Resorts.

 

Ground Transportation Services

This month, Enterprise Holdings opened an Alamo Rent A Car location in Peru, at Lima's Jorge Ch�vez International Airport. Later this month, the company will also open Alamo Rent A Car and National Car Rental locations in Belize, at Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport and in Belize City, and Alamo locations in Providenciales and at Providenciales International Airport in Turks & Caicos. 

 

American Airlines, courtesy of  American Airlines; Cali Marriott Hotel, courtesy of Marriott International; New Yorker Hotel by Metro Centric

 

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