MEXICO CITY, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's main priority must be combating insecurity in its main tourism destinations in order to avoid a reduction in the number of visitors, the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco Servytur) said Sunday.
In a news release, the organization's president Jose Manuel Lopez, said that it is of utmost urgency that tourist destinations be kept as "authentic sanctuaries and examples of social peace."
"Tourism is one of the most susceptible to insecurity, because the flow of visitors depends in great part on the reputation of the destination based on an international level of excellent service and competitive prices," Lopez said.
He also said that Mexico's tourism sector meets its commitment of offering the very best to visitors both national and foreign, although he acknowledged the need of a favorable context to achieve its objectives.
Lopez recommended that the incoming government maintain a commitment to tourism, with a proper level in the budget to promote Mexico on an international level and avoid using those funds for other programs.
President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has mentioned he could use funds earmarked for promoting tourism for his ambitious rail project known as the Maya Train.
The project is meant to promote the country's southeastern area by connecting the Mexican states of Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo as well as Tabasco and Chiapas and potentially bringing three million tourists to the region.
In 2017, Mexico moved to sixth place in countries most visited in the world in a listing by the World Tourism Organization. It had previously been number eight.
However, Mexico also experienced a wave of violence in 2017 when it saw a record 31,174 murders, according to official data.
This insecurity has led some countries, including Germany, the United States and Netherlands, to issues warnings to tourists who may be planning to visit Mexico.
