Mexico Unrest Continues to Ripple Through Events Industry

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico issued a shelter-in-place order for Puerto Vallarta, Punta Mita, and Riviera Nayarit on February 22 after Mexican military forces killed a major cartel leader, triggering security concerns and widespread travel disruptions. The advisory has since been lifted.

The Destinations International Marketing & Communications Summit opened in Cleveland on February 24 without its president and CEO, Don Welsh, who was affected by the unrest and unable to fly out of Punta Mita, Mexico.

For Welsh, the experience unfolded without warning. “On Sunday, I was out whale watching and then went for a swim. On the way back to my room, I stopped at the concierge to confirm my Monday airport pickup. I was totally oblivious,” he said. “I did see helicopters in the sky, but never imagined that something like this was happening.”

He described the situation as surreal. After returning to his room, he watched news coverage showing unrest near the airport where he had arrived just days earlier.

“I was told, ‘You can’t leave, we’re on lockdown, and your flight is canceled,’” Welsh said.

Crisis Communication Key

Staff at the Four Seasons Punta Mita kept guests informed throughout the disruption, he added, praising employees who continued working while many were unable to return home to Puerto Vallarta.

Originally scheduled to arrive in Cleveland on Monday via Chicago, Welsh did not reach the summit until late Wednesday night. His route was severely disrupted, ultimately flying to William P. Hobby Airport in Houston before making a 90-minute Uber transfer through heavy traffic to George Bush Intercontinental Airport for a connecting flight.

As of February 25, the U.S. Embassy has lifted all shelter-in-place orders for U.S. travelers in Mexico. The U.S. Mexico Travel Advisory is at Level 2, exercise increased caution, for much of the country, which has been the case for years.

"Travel to Mexico is not risk-free under current conditions. Anyone with upcoming plans should closely monitor developments as their departure date approaches, avoid areas that have not stabilized, and be prepared to postpone travel if the security environment does not improve within the next one to two weeks,” said Kent Webber, senior manager of Intelligence Services at Global Rescue and former Senior Intelligence Operations Officer in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence at the United States Pentagon.

Incentive Programs Feel the Impact 

February is peak season for Mexico-based incentive trips, and planners say the disruption created immediate operational challenges, even in destinations far from the unrest.

Terramar, a destination and event management company, is managing approximately 100 groups in Mexico over the next six weeks. Only two programs have canceled so far, according to Kate Patay, the company’s vice president of global engagement.

One 220-person incentive group scheduled to arrive in the Mexican Caribbean on February 27 canceled just three days before departure. The group had arranged a private Cirque-style performance for attendees. Rather than letting the experience go unused, Terramar is inviting local children to attend.

“With teams on the ground, we’ve been sharing updates in real time,” Patay said. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there, and it’s crucial to keep clients informed.”

She emphasized that the violence occurred in Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific coast — about 1,200 miles from Caribbean incentive destinations such as Cancun, Cozumel, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen.