Big travel firm cuts trips to Baja, citing violence
The crime crisis in Mexico has forced a major West Coast travel firm to cancel its upcoming spring break trips to Baja California.
Summer Winter Action Tours (SWAT) of Costa Mesa says the thousands of students who planned to head south will instead travel to Palm Springs. Travel alerts have been issued for over a year regarding rising drug cartel-related crime in northern Mexico.
The Los Angeles branch of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also recently urged students to avoid northern Baja California during spring break.
SWAT has been sending students to Mexico for the last 12 years and, in a website post, insists that "San Felipe is one of the safest destinations in all of Baja California and Mexico."
"However, because so many of our existing customers and their families are concerned by the recent Mexico travel alerts issued by various agencies, SWAT has made the decision to provide our customers with peace of mind for their SWAT Spring Break 2009 experience," the statement continued.
Colleges sending students on spring break include: Cal State Fullerton, Saddleback College, Irvine Valley College, Cal State Long Beach, Orange Coast College, Cal Lutheran and Arizona State University. In a March 2 warning, the ATF issued a warning specifically cautioning against student trips to Tijuana and Rosarito Beach. Some students on SWAT tours would have had to pass through Tijuana on the drive to San Felipe.
Nobody in California would need to go through Tijuana to get to San Felipe. Better way is through Calexico/Mexicali.
Posted by: OSweet | March 10, 2009 at 12:21 PM
I just want your readers to know that San Felipe is a safe and secure town! It is sad that the bad publicity that the U.S. news agencies are doing to this small wonderful town in Baja California. First off you don't have to drive though Tijuana in order to arrive in San Felipe. you totally avoid Tijuana and you cross at the Calexico/Mexicali crossing (another safe town in Baja California, Mexico. Do you have to drive through Compton or Watts in order to get to Beverly Hills or Hollywood? I think not! It is sad to see the local mexican families down here in San Felipe trying to survive and this just blew them away. Spring Break is a big event for these families in order to make a living. Mexico is not like the Great ole U.S. of A. with welfare programs for those that are just to LAZY to work and make a living.
It is time to report positive reports of Mexico and don't let just 2 cities ruin the rest of this wonderful country. We don't let the crime in Compton, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington D.C. & Detoit just to name a few to ruin the Good Old U.S.A. It is time for Americans to be more neighborly to there neighbors!
Come and visit San Felipe and make the decision for your self! It is a great little town with white sand beaches and warm tranquil waters of the Sea of Cortez and also the home to the famous Fish Taco!
Posted by: Giovanni | March 10, 2009 at 09:19 PM
So SWAT moved it to Palm Springs this year. US Drinking age 21/ Mexico 18.. Age Range of Spring Breakers 18-23. Lets see what really happens this year.Also, didn't P.S. do everything it could in the Sonny Bono era to discourage Spring Breakers. If I remember correctly the Gay & Lez pride festival was planned during the middle of Spring Break in order to maintain revenue for local businesses without all the kids. I mean the Dinah Shore week is April 1-9th. P.S. isn't what it used to be for Spring Break! PLEASE don't destroy the reputations of San Felipe & Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point)
Stay away from Grand Canyon, because Phoenix is dangerous!
Stay away from Santa Barbara, because L.A. is dangerous!
Stay away from Lancaster, PA, because Philidelphia is dangerous!
Stay away from the Colorado River, because Denver is dangerous!
C'mon people!!!!
Posted by: Victor Prock | March 11, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Yeah, because everybody knows students love spending their spring break in Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana. Of course I'm being sarcastic. These warnings are just ridiculous, and the sad part is that they're throwing the entire country of Mexico under the bus knowing that the majority of the violence is going on in a couple of border towns, not the entire country. What a shame.
Posted by: Mario | March 11, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Spring Breakers need to Stay away from Palm Springs because a guy was Held up there with Leathel Weapons. During the days Swatt was there.
Come On!! What is the difference between Palm Springs and San Felipe Mexico
Posted by: Stay Away From Palm Spring | March 21, 2009 at 05:43 PM