tourism to lessen in guatemala?

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There have been lots of news stories lately about the Mexican drug cartels taking over almost 3/4 of Guatemala - heavy problems on the border areas with Mexico and around the Coban area (north of Atitlan) and the fact that the Guatemalan military and police force is ill equipped to handle it. Stories of whole villages being terrorized by cartel members, etc. and they just had the bus explosion in Guatemala City.
How do you think this will effect tourism in the near future? I have been noticing that Guatemala has fallen off many of the "places to visit" lists.

[omegaet]

There have been lots of news stories lately about the Mexican drug cartels taking over almost 3/4 of Guatemala - heavy problems on the border areas with Mexico and around the Coban area (north of Atitlan) and the fact that the Guatemalan military and police force is ill equipped to handle it. Stories of whole villages being terrorized by cartel members, etc. and they just had the bus explosion in Guatemala City.
How do you think this will effect tourism in the near future? I have been noticing that Guatemala has fallen off many of the "places to visit" lists.

Jennifer, the manager of Casa Palopo sent a note than their property has been 100% booked for some time and the next few months look to be about the same....I would like to see Luxury Link add some additional properties in Antigua, Guatemala and we would probably jump all over them....short flight down for us and we would travel for a long weekend. As for lists of 'places to visit,' we're content to avoid many of those listed destination, since they sometimes get a bit crowded.

[bonniejoy03]

I believe the area in question has always been on the "places to avoid" list. The Peten area had been on the watch list for awhile as more dangerous than most areas. We had no problems in the Tikal area. Actually, I am surprised that LL hasn't added Francis Ford Coppola's property; La Lancha. La Lancha is a great location for visiting Tikal.

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I am planning on future Guate visits - it is one of our favorite countries and would like to see LL add some more places besides Atitlan. The articles I have been reading are concentrating on the Coban region and the areas just north of Lake Atitlan (none of the articles I read even mentioned the Peten jungle region)
Of course Mexico is also getting it's share of horror stories, however, tourism is decreasing there - I just read that 3 big cruise lines are no longer going to do the pacific coast of Mexico due to drug violence. former Mexican president Vicente Fox just did an interview saying that maybe drugs should be legalized and it would put a big dent in the problem - I tend to agree with this. It is just like any other problem -when the police, military, etc crack down heavily in one area, the bad guys tend to move to an easier area to set up operations - happening right in my own neighborhood in Philly - police cracking down on prostitution in an area about 10-15 miles from my neighborhood and now all the prostitutes are moving into my neighborhood (actually left for work one morning at 6am and found one with her john doing it right on the hood of our car - now that was an interesting story to tell around the water cooler in work!)

[omegaet]

I am planning on future Guate visits - it is one of our favorite countries and would like to see LL add some more places besides Atitlan. The articles I have been reading are concentrating on the Coban region and the areas just north of Lake Atitlan (none of the articles I read even mentioned the Peten jungle region)
Of course Mexico is also getting it's share of horror stories, however, tourism is decreasing there - I just read that 3 big cruise lines are no longer going to do the pacific coast of Mexico due to drug violence. former Mexican president Vicente Fox just did an interview saying that maybe drugs should be legalized and it would put a big dent in the problem - I tend to agree with this. It is just like any other problem -when the police, military, etc crack down heavily in one area, the bad guys tend to move to an easier area to set up operations - happening right in my own neighborhood in Philly - police cracking down on prostitution in an area about 10-15 miles from my neighborhood and now all the prostitutes are moving into my neighborhood (actually left for work one morning at 6am and found one with her john doing it right on the hood of our car - now that was an interesting story to tell around the water cooler in work!)

Always a good idea to have your video camera.....that shot would have gone 'viral' in short order!

[bonniejoy03]

Just attaching the Advisory for Guatemala. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1129.html. Looks like most areas from Guatemala City to Peten have issues.

[showard1]

Just attaching the Advisory for Guatemala. Guatemala. Looks like most areas from Guatemala City to Peten have issues.

We've traveled to Guatemala several times in recent years, and there have always been travelers' safety warnings, pretty much as you'd find in any third world region. Of course, the drug problem continues to exist especially in Guatemala City and the border areas. And elsewhere? Could well be. Caution is definitely required, as well as avoidance of any questionable places. However you look at it, an adventure for one traveler may be not so much for another. Is tourism affected? Probably.

While visiting Lake Atitlan last Fall and witnessing the destruction of homes and property resulting from the horrendous rainy season, I believe it will take a great deal of time for necessary infrastructure repairs to be completed. That does not mean that people won't visit. But, for us, there was something missing. It was difficult to move around -- bad roads and mudslides still very pronounced -- and a sense that the natural beauty, so blatantly scarred, would only slowly recover. It wasn't the Guatemala we knew. Not the happy-go-lucky smiling country, but one dealing with tragedy and loss.

We won't return to Guatemala this year, but instead will wait and see how it recovers from last season, what the government may do to hasten the recovery, and what, if anything, can be done to prevent or prepare for another natural disaster.

Our plans will take us further South this year to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Anyone have suggestions -- flight info? What to see, eat, do, etc.?

Muchas gracias!

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When we went to Ecuador we did not do the Galapagos (have to save for another time - very expensive), however, we did go into the Ecuadorian Amazon region and it was great and I have to say it was much better than when we did the Amazon through Peru - less touristed and more pristine - we stayed on a flotel and were the only Americans - the other 15 folks were all from the UK - had a great time! Quito of course is a must see - many beautiful churches in the old part of the city.

[showard1]

When we went to Ecuador we did not do the Galapagos (have to save for another time - very expensive), however, we did go into the Ecuadorian Amazon region and it was great and I have to say it was much better than when we did the Amazon through Peru - less touristed and more pristine - we stayed on a flotel and were the only Americans - the other 15 folks were all from the UK - had a great time! Quito of course is a must see - many beautiful churches in the old part of the city.

Gracias, dhd,

We will be a couple of days in Quito and are looking forward to visiting the city and the museum there. Then it's off to the Galapagos, and back to the mainland, but traveling a little bit north to the small town of Otovalo. Did you go there? I'm told it's a charming market town at the foot of the Andes with amazing views, hiking, bicycling, horseback riding and the like. That's about all I know as of now -- have lots of reading to do.

Did you get a Panama hat in Ecuador? Guess that's where they originated -- not in Panama. Hmmmmm?