College students flood Cancun under watch of police, marines
CANCUN, Mexico (AP) - Tens of thousands of U.S. college students are flooding into the Mexican city of Cancun, where officials have stepped up patrols of marines, soldiers and special tourist police in zones packed with hotels and bars.
City officials said Friday that they expected thousands more visitors than the 25,000 who came to the Caribbean coast resort last year. They said at least part of that increase might be due to people avoiding Pacific Coast resorts such as Acapulco, which have been hit by high-profile incidents of criminal violence in recent years.
Cancun tourism director Maximo Garcia Rocha said some major tourist agencies were expecting as many as 43,000 spring breakers, but the major influx was only beginning Friday. The Cancun Hotel Association said occupancy was at 90 percent citywide.
Brad Madani, a 24-year-old from Toronto, said he had come to Cancun for the second time and was drawn by the beaches, discos and bikini contests. While many Canadians think Mexico is dangerous, Madani said, he felt safe in Cancun, particularly with the heavy presence of marines.
Speaking in halting Spanish, he added, "Hay muchas chiquitas bonita," or "There are many pretty girls."
Garcia said city authorities were distributing flyers at the 10 main spring break hotels giving numbers for the U.S. Consulate and advising spring breakers not to drink or urinate in the streets, use drugs, start disturbances or destroy property.
City officials said Friday that they expected thousands more visitors than the 25,000 who came to the Caribbean coast resort last year. They said at least part of that increase might be due to people avoiding Pacific Coast resorts such as Acapulco, which have been hit by high-profile incidents of criminal violence in recent years.
Cancun tourism director Maximo Garcia Rocha said some major tourist agencies were expecting as many as 43,000 spring breakers, but the major influx was only beginning Friday. The Cancun Hotel Association said occupancy was at 90 percent citywide.
Brad Madani, a 24-year-old from Toronto, said he had come to Cancun for the second time and was drawn by the beaches, discos and bikini contests. While many Canadians think Mexico is dangerous, Madani said, he felt safe in Cancun, particularly with the heavy presence of marines.
Speaking in halting Spanish, he added, "Hay muchas chiquitas bonita," or "There are many pretty girls."
Garcia said city authorities were distributing flyers at the 10 main spring break hotels giving numbers for the U.S. Consulate and advising spring breakers not to drink or urinate in the streets, use drugs, start disturbances or destroy property.
Garcia said city authorities were distributing flyers at the 10 main spring break hotels giving numbers for the U.S. Consulate and advising spring breakers not to drink or urinate in the streets, use drugs, start disturbances or destroy property.
The fact that they need to post this speaks VOLUMES about how they view American collegiate revelers. That said, they sure don't mind the American dollars being spent there and undoubtedly they won't mind the few belligerent jerks who they will shake a 50 dollar bribe from so he or she can avoid a night with in a cell with Mexico's finest
we all have choices:  Spend what you probably can't afford to practice dissipation in a faraway place.  Or, access a good book for free - http://www.ccel.org/ccel/law/serious_call.html  Â
you're welcome.
Just gotta protect the little snowflakes from the Mexican bandits.....  What a country Mexico is.... they treat their own people with hardly any value but an American Gringo.....  like a delicate flower. BS!!!!
Looking at the picture 100 dudes to 3 girls no a good ratio unless in your in a "rainbow" club
@sunnysandiego  Yep, looks like a sausage festival......
@Funky-Munky @sunnysandiego  LOL @ sausage fest.............
So are they basically just being glorified babysitters to spring breakers?
Nothing says "spring break" like a full Marine escort. Sad what our world has become.
Ah yes, partying in a failed state. May the veneer of safety and civility (sort of) hold up. It does say something when you are in a country that has to deploy real military to protect tourists.Â
@Citizen#3457899654 Why do you think most countries don't like many Americans? In short.... drunken, rude and spoiled brats when traveling abroad!
@Funky-Munky You forgot that some of our young Canadian neighbors are even worse.Â
@Funky-Munky @Citizen#3457899654 Have you ever been on vaca with the brits? they do the same in Europe, (Costa del sol, Italy, and Majorca), they fly to sunny places and get hammered. you just don't know about it, cause its not worth it for them to fly all the way here, when so many clubbing spots are much closer, this behavior is not exclusively American.