Kelowna

One of Kelowna's top travel agents says travellers have to keep an open mind in the wake of the highly publicized violence in Mexico.

Mexico has been making headlines in recent weeks following a series of violent events including shootings. The latest being a shooting rampage this week at two Acapulco police stations that left seven people dead.

There have also been a number of incidents involving Canadians, including two hit-and-runs and a hotel lobby shooting that put two Canadians in hospital.

Joy March of 'Joy Of Travel' in Kelowna, says people must realize that tourism destinations are not immune to crime.

"These things happen in large cities. Acapulco is a big city much like New York, Toronto and Vancouver where things are going to happen. The reality is that this type of violence is happening everywhere in the world right now, but we pay attention to these things because it happens to be our holiday spot. We perceive our holiday spot as being safe and serene."

March says that none of her clients are shying away from travelling to Mexico despite the bad press.

"I think a majority of people understand that they as tourists are not being targeted. Personally, I would have no hesitation to go to Mexico whatsoever."

March says the bottom line is, tourists have to keep their wits about them when travelling abroad.

"When you're on holidays, you cannot park your sensibilities. You should maintain the same level of awareness as you would walking down Leon Avenue in Kelowna. You shouldn't forget about that just because you're on vacation and want a care free attitude."

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay is in Mexico to raise the issue of safety for Canadian tourists.

The spate of violence in Mexico has prompted Canada to issue a travel report for Mexico -- a step shy of a travel advisory.

Link: McKay in Mexico (CTV) Link: Travel Report (Foreign Affairs Canada)