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Mexico is safe for tourists, says minister

May 19, 2011

Mexico's tourism minister has insisted that the country is still a safe place for holidaymakers to visit.

Gloria Guevara acknowledged that issues such as drug-related violence and illegal human trafficking are proving to be a challenge.

However, she told AFP that these problems are not directly affecting or taking place in holiday destinations.

"The reality is Mexico is a large country – it has a lot of cities," Ms Guevara commented.

She noted that if an incident happened in Las Vegas, for instance, people would not be put off visiting other parts of the US, such as New York.

Ms Guevara added that most of the drug-related violence has taken place on Mexico's border with the US.

Indeed, she said that problems have only been seen in 80 of its 2,500 municipalities.

The assurances come after Rodolfo Lopez-Negrete, chief executive of the Mexico Tourism Board, said the country has had to cut its prices in order to ensure it remains an appealing destination for holidaymakers.