In the wake of the vicious rape of six Spanish tourists in Acapulco, President Enrique Peña Nieto vowed to make Mexico safer for foreign and domestic tourists.
“We will continue working to improve public safety, which is undoubtedly fundamental for promoting our country,” Peña Nieto said during a visit to the Banderas Bay area last week. Tourist safety requires not only a strong security presence, but also quality roads and health care, he added.
Under the president’s new tourism plans, the federal government will promote sustainable development and push for more private investment in the tourism sector.
“Mexico is much more than beautiful beaches, diversification of tourism is key to global competition,” Peña Nieto said, announcing six sectors into which tourism in Mexico can be divided: sun and sand tourism; cultural tourism; ecological and adventure tourism; health tourism; sports tourism; and special interest or luxury tourism.
Peña Nieto’s comments came a day after the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) announced that six men arrested for the rape of six Spanish tourists in Acapulco had confessed to the crime. The incident severely damaged Mexico’s international image, which has already suffered due to mounting drug-related violence in recent years.