The weekend of drug cartel roadblocks and violence in various parts of the country temporarily impacted Durango’s tourism sector, primarily affecting ground transportation, reported the Secretary of Tourism, Elisa Haro Ruiz.
She also detailed that if the current situation persists, hotel occupancy during Holy Week could decrease by 10 to 15 percent compared to last year.
Air operations are running normally, without significant disruptions, as routes from Durango to Monterrey and Guadalajara are currently experiencing occupancy rates exceeding 80 percent. This has allowed for a strengthening of the tourism promotion strategy in the face of the ongoing highway insecurity.
The goal is to encourage air travel, leveraging connectivity with destinations such as Jalisco, Monterrey, and Tijuana. Elisa Haro Ruiz, head of the Tourism Secretariat
Businesses burned down in operation to capture and kill El Mencho
Businesses were set on fire following the capture and death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, identified as the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
The state official explained that the impact on the state was felt on Sunday at the bus terminal, where bus service to all destinations in the country was suspended from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Later, departures gradually resumed to the north and within the state.
However, routes to central Mexico and Sinaloa remained closed until Monday, when they gradually began to reopen. By Tuesday, it was reported that bus service was operating at full capacity nationwide.
Because there were no scheduled departures on Sunday, the Ministry of Tourism clarified that there were no disruptions to flights to Guadalajara, as these operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with Volaris, and the service ran normally.
Haro Ruiz stated that although some passengers were affected by the temporary suspension of bus routes, the General Domingo Arrieta Bus Terminal does not have precise data on the total number of affected passengers, nor a breakdown by bus line.
In some specific cases, such as the transport of a women’s volleyball team known as Las Coronelas, as well as a group of doctors, air transport was chosen instead of ground transportation, allowing them to arrive in the state without incident.
Regarding the country’s image in the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the interviewee reported that a national public relations strategy is being developed, particularly in coordination with the Government of Jalisco, the state that will host matches in Guadalajara.
Authorities indicated that it is the responsibility of national security agencies to fully restore conditions and send the message that it is safe to travel to and within Mexico, in anticipation of an international event.
Given this situation, the state’s tourism director emphasized that the strategy will be to strengthen promotion in regional markets considered safe, such as the Comarca Lagunera region, Saltillo, Monterrey, and Chihuahua, as well as to enhance air connectivity.
Although tourism promotion continues, she acknowledged that the final decision to travel rests with each family.
Source: oem
