Articles in the category News
Talking about Safety in Mexico
Finally, someone says it like it is. Mexico’s violence, although problematic for the country as a whole, the country as a whole is not war torn or suffering from non-stop violence. The jobs of journalists are to report their findings in an objective manner but it seems that with major-media corporations, objectiveness is far too often pushed aside and replaced with personal opinions and, possibly, agendas. And according to this article from August, 2010, this just may be the case with the media both north and south of the border being equally guilty.
Very few people hear that facts and very few people know how to separate fact from fiction. It seems that only those who are deeply interested or invested in the subject of Mexico’s drug-related violence are the ones that are able to produce hard facts and back up their findings. Some of these people include researchers from the University of San Diego and Vanderbilt University. Not someone that read, seen or heard something in the news later to post it on the internet.
So the question remains, what is being said and not heard and are what are some the hearty facts that we can pull from this article that relate to perspective travelers?
‘The state with the lowest murder rate is Yucatán, the Gulf of Mexico state known for its beaches and Mayan ruins. Its murder rate of 2 per 100,000 was comparable to Wyoming and Montana.’
What do most not know?
Next door to the state of Yucatan is the state of Quintana Roo, the state famous for all-inclusive resorts, the island of Cozumel and so much more. It is a state equally as safe as Yucatan.
‘The horrific violence that is jacking up the national death toll is largely in nine of Mexico’s 31 states’.
What do most fail to mention?
All of these states are states either bordering the United States or in the western region of the country. None of these states include the Yucatan Peninsula, a region that is roughly the size of Oklahoma.
"There is a disconnect between the statistics and the perception of the public."
This statement in itself may be an indication that all of us must start using our critical thinking skills and always ask for facts before jumping to conclusions. It is also important to remember that those who are being targeted by the violence are those that have ties to the drug trade or unfortunately got caught in the crossfire in a region they should not have been, a region in which there were already previously-placed advisories.
Read the full story in USA Today or take a look at a really good article by Candice Walsh Why I’m not afraid of Mexico
Have you been to Mexico? What is your opinion on safety matters? Please let us know in the comments below.
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About the Author
Kristin McCollum is a travel writer that has spent the past year traveling and working throughout Europe and Mexico. Now settled on the Yucatan Peninsula, she finds inspiration in every person she meets and in the natural beauty which surrounds her.
New York Red Bulls MLS Soccer Team Visits Mexico
The New York Red Bulls, one of the most renowned soccer teams in the MLS (Major League Soccer) is about to arrive in Cancun to begin their two month preseason schedule for 2011. Yucatan Holidays, the Cancun-based travel agency, is the main sponsor of their preseason visit to Mexico.
Next Friday, February 4th, the New York Red Bulls 
will be arriving to Cancun’s International Airport and will stay for 10 days in Yucatan Holiday’s Riviera Maya Resort, Hacienda Tres Ríos. Their preseason visit to Mexico includes training sessions and media events, and on February 14th, the team will travel to Guadalajara for a friendly match against Club Chivas on the 15th.
The New York Red Bulls will visit Mexico with all their stars including Thierry Henry, 
Rafael Marquez and the young John Rooney, brother of Manchester United’s striker Wayne Rooney.
Soccer-specialized agency Gol Marketing is the organizer of this preseason in Mexico. Both GOL and Yucatan Holidays hope to create awareness and to promote sports by bringing international players to the country.
Yucatan Holidays will hold a big sweepstakes in order to give away VIP tickets to an upcoming match in New York City to it’s followers on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t you want to join us?
Visit the Official New York Red Bulls website
Name the Sea Turtle | Yucatan Holidays Contest
Have you ever imagined that a sea turtle can literally give you the opportunity to enjoy one of the most beautiful vacation spots in the World? Well, it is true!
At Yucatan Holidays, we care about the environment and we love protecting the different plant and animal species that live in our region. Each year, from May through September, hundreds of sea turtles visit the pristine beaches of Cancun and the Riviera Maya to lay thousands of eggs. Each turtle lays between 100 to 200 eggs!
Time has passed and now, the little turtles are hatching. This is why TODAY we launch the “Name the Sea Turtle” Contest! This is what you have to do:
STEP 1. Take a look at the baby sea turtle photos below. Pick a name for the turtle and think why you picked that name.
STEP 2. Write in the comments area below the name you chose for the little turtle and the reason or the story of that name in a couple of lines.
STEP 3. Invite your friends to visit and LIKE the Yucatan Holidays Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/YucatanHolidays
STEP 4. You have ONE WEEK to send the name for the baby turtle and the story! (only ONE name per person) On Wednesday, September 1st at 6PM (CST) the first phase of the contest will be over!
STEP 5. On Friday, September 3rd at 12PM (CST), we will post the 10 best names (picked by the jury) on our Facebook Page. Once published, you’ll have to tell your family, your friends, the friends of your friends and everyone else to LIKE the name you chose! Remember: To vote, they have to LIKE the Yucatan Holidays Facebook page first!
STEP 6. Last day to LIKE (vote) is Friday, September 10th at 12PM (CST). On that same day, the winners will be announced!
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THE PRIZES
Your favorite part. This contest will have 3 winners.
1st Place: 5-day / 4-night stay in Cancun* + 2 Dolphin Encounter adult tickets (Take a look at the Dolphin Swim gallery )
2nd Place: 5-day / 4-night stay in Cancun* + Lobster Dinner Cruise (Take a look at the Lobster Dinner gallery)
3rd Place: 5-day / 4-night stay in Cancun*
Yucatan Holidays, Dolphin Discovery and Columbus Lobster Dinner Cruise want you to enjoy an unforgettable vacation in Cancun! So start thinking, pick your name, and tell your friends to vote!
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THE SOON-TO-BE-NAMED BABY TURTLE
Baby turtle says: “You give me a good name, and I’ll help you win!!”
* 5 days / 4 nights of hotel accommodation in Cancun (not all inclusive accommodation) for 2 adults and up to 2 kids (less than 12 years old). You’ll be able to choose between two of our Cancun hotels: Ocean Spa Hotel & Laguna Suites Golf + Spa
- Airport – hotel transportation.
- The chance to upgrade your prize to all inclusive or to our luxury Hacienda Tres Rios Resort at a discounted rate.
- Vacation prize is valid for 18 months and has no date restrictions.
- Taxes and activation fee are not included ($169 USD)
Summer Photo Contest | The jury and some news
Our photo contest is coming to an end. In a few minutes the finalists for the “I Love Mexico” category and the single winner of the “I Want to Love Mexico” category will be published. As we received numerous photos for the first category, we decided that 5 photos were not enough, so we will be publishing the best 10 photos. And that’s not all; we are giving the prize (5-night stay in Cancun) for the 3 most LIKED photos! Get ready to LIKE your favorite one, and tell your friends to join and LIKE too!
Now, if you are wondering, who those Yucatan Holidays jury members are, let me introduce them:
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Kristin McCollum is a (sexy) travel writer and photographer that has spent the past year traveling and working throughout Europe and Mexico. Now settled on the Yucatan Peninsula, she finds inspiration in every person she meets and in the natural beauty which surrounds her. Follow Kristin on 
I’m Jorge the community manager and destination marketing strategist of Yucatan Holidays. Always on If you have a complaint because your photo wasn’t picked, please, feel free to tweet Pamela and/or Kristin. Good Luck!
SUMMER PHOTO CONTEST | Yucatan Holidays
Hello! If you are reading this is because a) you love photography, b) you love Mexico or c) you want to win 5 days in Cancun (or maybe all of them!)
ABOUT THE CONTEST
As we want all to join the contest we will have 2 categories. Category 1 also known as “I love Mexico” and is for those avid and lucky travelers that have already been in Mexico and that have that FAVORITE photo that they want to share.
Category 2, also know as “I want to love Mexico” is for those that haven’t had the chance to visit this amazing country! So then, your mission will be a bit more complicated. You’ll have to download, borrow, cut n’ scan, buy a photo of Mexico and then put yourself in there! Use your imagination! Use Photoshop, paint, scissors and glue or whatever you want!
Each category will have 2 winners! So we are giving away 4 Cancun vacations!
HOW IT WORKS
A) Send your photos to: yhcontests@gmail.com as an attachment. Photo must be at least 600 x 400 pixels. In the subject specify your category: “I love Mexico” or “I want to love Mexico” and in the body write your details (Name and Address) and the details of the photo (When and where it was taken. Feel free to share a short story about it too!) Send your pictures starting TODAY, Friday, July 9th until Monday, July 19th, 2010.
B) The Yucatan Holidays Jury will pick the best 5 pictures for each category.
C) The chosen photos will be published on Yucatan Holidays Facebook page in two photo albums (one for each category) on Thursday, July 22nd.
D) Starting on that date, you’ll have to get as many friends as you can to LIKE your photo! Post it in your wall, send Tweets, write in your blog, do a YouTube video, Digg it, StumbleUpon it, or anything that comes to your mind! Remember your friends will have to LIKE the photos directly in the album in our page, so they MUST become fans first. The 2 photos of each category with more LIKES will be the winners. The last day for your friends to LIKE your photo will be Monday July,26th! The winners will be announced and published on Tuesday July 27th on the Facebook wall!
PRIZES
Each of the 4 winners (2 per category) will receive an E-Certificate valid for 5 days and 4 nights of hotel accommodation in one of the Yucatan Holidays hotels in Cancun. *Taxes may apply.
Summer Photo Contest | Terms & Conditions
1. Submission implies the author is granting publication rights and copyrights to Yucatan Holidays of the photo they send.
2. The contest is limited to ONE photo per person and per category.
3. Photo specifications: 600 x 400 pixels minimum. So it can be published without loosing quality.
4. The prize is an e-certificate that gives the winner:
- * 5 days / 4 nights of hotel accommodation in Cancun (not all inclusive accommodation) for 2 adults and up to 2 kids (less than 12 years old). You’ll be able to choose between two of our Cancun hotels: Ocean Spa Hotel & Laguna Suites Golf + Spa
- *Airport – hotel transportation.
- *The chance to upgrade your prize to all inclusive or to our luxury Hacienda Tres Rios resort at a discounted rate.
- *Taxes and activation fee are not included ($169 USD)
Comment your way to Cancun | Yucatan Holidays
Mexico just won the football match against France in the World Cup and to celebrate we’ll give away 2 Cancun vacations! So, what do you have to do? Easy!
A) LIKE this post and (if you are a Twitter user) RETWEET this post!
B) Get inspired and write in a small paragraph (less than 60 words, please!) a story where you MUST include the phrase “YUCATAN HOLIDAYS” and at least 2 of the following words:
- World Cup
- Goal
- France
- Mexico
- Winner
C) Go to the bottom of this post and paste your story as a comment. Name and email are obligatory. You have until TUESDAY, JUNE 22nd to post your comments!
D) Congratulations! You are now in the raffle to win 5 days and 4 nights in CANCUN*. The raffle for the 2 prizes will take place AFTER the match of MEXICO – URUGUAY on Tuesday, June 22nd.
So, let loose your imagination and come to visit us in paradise this summer!
*Taxes may apply.
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Avoids Mexico
The British Petroleum oil spill that struck the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010 and continues to spill from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig may raise concerns about traveling to Mexico, but the greatest impact has been on the U.S. states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida along the Gulf of Mexico. The Mexican Caribbean, Cancun, and the Riviera Maya, Mexico, have not been affected. In fact, travelers who want to vacation in these areas can reap the benefits of some great travel deals.
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is primarily surrounded by the U.S. states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas (known as the Gulf Coast), and the island of Cuba to the southeast. It also borders Mexico’s Bay of Campeche, the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and the southerly Caribbean Sea. Cancun and the Riviera Maya, located in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, border the Caribbean Sea southeast of the Gulf of Mexico.
Threatened Areas
Although the oil continues to spill into the Gulf of Mexico, active measures are being taken to stop the oil leak and contain the oil flow. Already having devastated the Gulf Coast’s shorelines, oceans, and natural ecosystems, impacting its wetlands, wildlife, birds, fish, dolphins, whale sharks, and other marine life, additional methods of containment — including thousands of feet of booms to confine the oil — are being employed to prevent further environmental damage.
Mexico Spared!
Since Cancun and the Riviera Maya border the Caribbean Sea further to the southeast, the ecosystems of this region have not been affected by the oil spill. Given the increased containment measures, along with the wind flow patterns and water currents surrounding the Gulf of Mexico, the oil slick is being carried north towards the southeast coastline of the U.S. by the Florida Keys, and will most likely not impact Mexico.
There’s no speculation that the BP oil spill will affect the beaches and oceans near Cancun and the Riviera Maya in the future — and they’re certainly not being affected now. The clear, turquoise-blue Caribbean Sea and its white sand beaches are still as beautiful as ever, making this the perfect time of year to swim with the whale sharks on a whale shark tour or swim with the dolphins on a dolphin swim tour where the ocean is tranquil and clean.
About the Author
Christina Famiglietti is a professional writer and editor with experience in various industries. Her most recent passion is the Mexican Caribbean, where she lives and is inspired to write about her beloved Mexico — its nature, culture, travel, and tourism.
Tulum | The Magic by Night
Starting on June 25th, the ancient Mayan city of Tulum will open the doors past sunset offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy the magic of the archeological site under a bright new light. The night visits to the walled city’s 15 pyramids will be illuminated in shades of red, blue, and amber. The night tours were suspended last year for lighting maintenance, now Tulum is ready to receive visitors again starting with two schedules: 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The $275 pesos ($22 USD) admission fee includes a headset for an audio description of the history and other explanations about the site.
Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade 2010
With a commitment to be in tune with the world’s ever-increasing social topics, Yucatán Holidays attended this years’ Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade promoting gay-friendly vacations and an open environment in the Riviera Maya and Cancun.
In its second year, the Gay Pride Parade drew about 30,000 people to Ocean Drive in Miami Beach for the festivities. In its historic inaugural year, organizers planned for approximately 5,000 attendees, but the PRIDE event drew more than 24,000 people last year, marking the Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade the city’s largest one-day event.
Yucatán Holidays had a display table with information about Cancun tours and attractions, Riviera Maya resorts and hotels, and the Yucatan Peninsula. Several lucky winners took home their 5 day, 4 night free Cancun vacations and among them, a Riviera Maya all inclusive vacation to Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort was awarded.
As one of the top travel destinations in the world, Mexico was named in 2007 the Gay Destination of the Year by the PlanetOut Travel Awards, which recognizes gay-friendly tourist destinations from around the world.
This part of Mexico is working hard to accommodate the gay and lesbian travelers and become a more gay-friendly tourist destination.
Beautifully decorated by the best of Mexico’s beaches and its impressive Mayan Ruins, the lure of the Yucatan Peninsula and Riviera Maya is irresistible and a prime choice for that memorable gay-friendly vacation.
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