Stamford travel firm: Trips to Mexico City on the rise

A woman poses for pictures in front of tourist police officers wearing Mexican charro outfits in the Alameda Central in Mexico City, on January 10, 2019. A woman poses for pictures in front of tourist police officers wearing Mexican charro outfits in the Alameda Central in Mexico City, on January 10, 2019. Photo: PEDRO PARDO / AFP /Getty Images Photo: PEDRO PARDO / AFP /Getty Images Image 1 of / 54 Caption Close Stamford travel firm: Trips to Mexico City on the rise 1 / 54 Back to Gallery

STAMFORD — The long-running dispute over funding for President Donald Trump’s proposed border barrier, which has come to a head with the partial federal government shutdown, has not discouraged visits to the Mexican capital.

Among users of online-travel firm Kayak, Mexico City ranks as the top “trending” travel destination, with a 73 percent increase in searches, according to a new report by the Stamford-based company that analyzed 1.5 billion annual user searches.

In its 2019 Travel Hacker Guide, Kayak highlights Mexico City being named the 2018 “Design Capital of the World.” Artists and creative entrepreneurs are transforming the city, with highlights including the Fusion art-and-design bazaar, the guide said.

Kayak’s findings align with other data showing a surge in travel to the second-most-populous country in North America. Some 126 million live in Mexico, with more than 21 million in the Mexico City area, according to U.S. Central Intelligence Agency data.

A record 10.6 million tourists visited the country in the first quarter of 2018, up nearly 13 percent from the same period in 2017, according to the Mexico Tourism Board.

But many agencies, including the U.S. State Department, urge caution in traveling to the country, including its capital.

The State Department gives a “Level 2: Exercise increased caution” travel advisory for Mexico City. It reports widespread violent and non-violent crime.

Last July, a 27-year-old American woman was shot and killed at a taqueria in the city by a stray bullet from motorcycle gunmen apparently targeting a bouncer at the establishment.

“Pay particular caution to areas outside of the frequented tourist areas, although petty crime occurs frequently in tourist areas as well,” the State Department advisory says in part. “Neighborhoods such as Tepito and Guerrero warrant additional vigilance, especially at night.”

For the entire country, the State Department has issued a Level 2 warning. Due to crime, it recommends not traveling to the states of Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas.

Kayak advises travelers to drink plenty of water and take “preventative measures” to avoid altitude sickness in Mexico City.

After Mexico City, Kayak ranked nine other trending destinations. They are Bali, Indonesia; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; the Bahamas; Guadalajara, Mexico; Lisbon, Portugal; Paris, France; Rome, Italy; Maui, Hawaii; and Munich, Germany.

In Kayak’s overall standings, Las Vegas, New York City, Los Angeles, Orlando, Fla., Chicago, Denver, Miami, San Francisco, London and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ranked as the most-popular destinations.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschott