Puerto Vallarta is alive in spite of the heat in Mexico

The U.S. economic crisis has negatively impacted Mexico’s exports. 80 % of their export trade is with the United States, including their #1 export, oil, which is down 35 %. Drug trafficking has been on the rise since the 1980’s, when U.S. drug enforcement efforts closed primary trafficking routes from South America through the Caribbean and into the US and Canada.

Thus, forcing the cartels to forge new routes from Central America, through Mexico and up in to the U.S. and Canadian markets. Mexican President, Felipe Calderón’s commitment to fighting the drug trade, since coming into power in 2006, has seen escalating retaliation. The H1N1 flu scare that hit Mexico City virtually ground the country to a stand still this past spring.

All of this has created a global perception that “Mexico” is unsafe and unstable.

How that has affected the beautiful & tranquil tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta, is apparent in the dramatic decrease in tourism. Already reeling from a particularly slow 2008/09 high season, the spring H1N1 flu pandemic saw tourism drop a reported 50-70% over previous years.