Following recent violent episodes in Baja California Sur, the La Paz Hotel and Tourism Association (Emprhotur) said the prevailing perception of insecurity in some regions of the state could negatively impact visitor arrivals and tourism investment.

Although the capital city of La Paz has not registered any direct impact on its hotel sector so far, the Emprhotur is concerned that violence events in other municipalities, such as Comondú and Loreto, are influencing the general perception of the state.

“Any hint of violence, crime, or risk can cause an immediate drop in visitor arrivals,” Agustín Olachea Nogueda, head of the Emprhotour, told local media, adding that these types of situations “directly affect the destination’s image.”

In April, the governments of Canada and the United States issued a security alert for travelers to Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo) and La Paz after several reports of shootings and clashes between civilians and police officers.

From January to July this year, at least 63 intentional homicides were recorded, up 85.3% compared to the same period last year. Many of the incidents are linked to internal disputes between cells associated with the Sinaloa Cartel. Violence peaked in June with 24 murders reported, primarily concentrated in the municipalities of Comondú and Loreto.

In light of the conflict, Olachea urged government agencies to take action to avoid further damage to Baja California’s tourism reputation.

“We demand that the current situations be addressed, that criminals be prosecuted, that arrests be made, and that we can return to the climate of tranquility we once experienced in Baja California Sur and La Paz,” Olachea said. “We’re living a climate of insecurity that we Southern Californians don’t deserve,” he stressed, adding that if the perception of risk isn’t controlled, tourism promotion efforts in source markets could be hampered.

Yet, this week, the United States updated its travel advisory for all 32 Mexican states and placed Baja California Sur at Level 2, which calls for increased caution when visiting due to events of organized crime and delinquency. The advisory states that there are no specific travel restrictions for U.S. government employees in that area.

Authorities in Baja California have stated that the U.S. advisory will not affect the state’s tourist destinations. The Tourism Minister of Baja California Sur Maribel Collins Sánchez explained that the state has been rated at Level 2 for several years and has not experienced any negative impacts. She added that despite the violence reported in the state, tourism indicators have in fact increased compared to last year.

“The tourist influx in the state is maintained and growing,” Collins said, adding that the state government is conducting a permanent observatory in collaboration with the private sector through the security roundtable. She said they’ve already held meetings with business leaders in Los Cabos and will soon do so in La Paz.

With reports from Tribuna de México, Yahoo Noticias, El Universal and El Sudcaliforniano