Michelle Fridman says Puerto Vallarta is safe and urges Canadians to keep visiting
The tourism secretary for the Mexican state of Jalisco – home to popular Puerto Vallarta – is insisting that her state remains safe for visitors in the wake of violence that flared in parts of Jalisco and some other Mexican locales on Feb. 22 following the killing of a major drug trafficker by security forces.
Michelle Fridman acknowledged during a Toronto visit Monday that the news reports of fires being set in Puerto Vallarta led to some cancellations among people who planned to visit it but said the violence ended the same day it broke out without any tourists being harmed.
Some airlines briefly suspended Puerto Vallarta flights and tourists were asked to stay in hotels during the outburst but Fridman said tourism fully returned to normal within 48 hours.
Fridman also said Puerto Vallarta tourism officials had to contend with what she called “some false images” created by AI that made the Feb. 22 situation seem worse than it was.
“I would say we’re safe, as always… Everything’s back to normal,” said Fridman, who left Toronto for Montreal and Ottawa to speak to people in those cities about Jalisco tourism. “We want Canadians to keep coming to Puerto Vallarta. Everybody loves Puerto Vallarta.”
Puerto Vallarta tourism authorities are always quick to note that their destination isn’t one of the destinations created in recent decades specifically for tourism but is a long-standing city that has a historic quarter marked by cobblestone streets.
The number of visitors in Puerto Vallarta now is below what it normally is at this time of year but several factors may have contributed to the drop, she said.
Hugely popular Puerto Vallarta is the cornerstone of Jalisco tourism but Fridman said that city, known for its beaches and traditional Mexican ambiance, is only one side to tourism in Jalisco, which she said is “like an entire country on its own,” thanks in part to differing landscapes that include jungle and mountains.
Fridman also labelled Jalisco the “best representation of Mexico” and inland Guadalajara the “most Mexican city,” with it being the home of mariachi music, a musical genre that’s considered iconic of Mexico.
Guadalajara has a flourishing culinary scene.
Jalisco is also the home of tequila, and is actually home to a town called Tequila. A train that links Guadalajara with Tequila enables passengers to learn about an alcohol frequently considered symbolic of Mexico.
Puerto Vallarta is expected to see a huge influx of tourists this summer when it hosts some of the FIFA World Cup soccer games. World Cup-related activities are planned for other parts of Mexico.
Jalisco is served by several Canadian airlines, with Fridman reporting all expect next winter will be a good one for their Puerto Vallarta routes.
