Saskatchewan bookings to Mexico rebound after brief dip

Saskatchewan residents are going ahead with vacations to Mexico, in spite of the outbreak of cartel violence that briefly froze travel.

Tensions may be easing in Mexico following last week’s violence involving government forces and drug cartels, meanwhile here in Saskatchewan, travelers appear unfazed.

CAA Travel General Manager Terry Kaszas says there was a short-lived slowdown in bookings.

“We saw a bit of a blip for a couple of days,” said Kaszas, who just recently returned from Mexico.

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“I was just down there. People are still traveling. There was a little bit of turmoil, obviously. You know, everybody read about it. Everybody heard about it.”

The Government of Canada continues to advise travelers to exercise caution when visiting Mexico. Despite that advisory, Kaszas says interest has quickly rebounded.

“In Saskatchewan, when it’s 40 below, people are pretty determined to get somewhere warm,” he told CTV News.

“They’ve been planning these trips for months.”

Kaszas adds that travelers shouldn’t expect discounts tied to last week’s headlines.

The airlines and resorts don’t tend to drop prices over a short-term situation. Demand is still very strong, he said.

He notes that global uncertainty is nothing new for the travel industry.

From the COVID-19 pandemic to ongoing conflicts, like in the middle east and including the war between Ukraine and Russia, travelers have proven resilient.

For now, it appears winter-weary travelers are keeping their beach plans intact.