Drug war mars spring break tourism in Mexican city

The 2011 spring break arrivals in Mexico's coastal city of Acapulco, a famous summer holiday destination, may fall as cancelation of trips have been recorded in the wake of fresh drug war violence in the country. A local newspaper reports that the arrivals this year for spring break can decline by as much as 88 percent. Usually, during the spring break every year, hundreds and thousands of university students from across the Americas and other countries visit Acapulco, the top destination during summer in Mexico.

However, a surge in drug-related violence in the last decade has taken a toll on spring break tourism in Acapulco.

According to Washington Times, drug wars between drug-smuggling cartels and also clashes between the cartels and government, ever since the latter began to control drug trafficking, has claimed 35,000 lives since 2006.

The U.S. State Department's travel advisory against travel to Mexico following the fresh cases of violence, in which a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent was shot and killed by 10-15 armed cartel members, has led travelers to cancel their trips to Acapulco and most of the city's hotels are reporting lesser influx.