What to do if you have a Mexico holiday booked and want to cancel | America | Travel

Cartel-related violence has broken out in parts of Mexico after the death of drug kingpin ‘El Mencho’, and many tourists have taken to social media to show the chaotic scenes going on close to hotels. Videos have shown roads being blocked by gangs, cars set on fire, and violent attacks on the streets.

The situation has led the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to update its advice on travelling to Mexico. It has issued a map showing several areas where they advise all but essential travel. Areas that tourists are being asked to avoid include the party town of Tijuana and the resort of Puerto Vallarta, where tourists are being told to stay indoors for their own safety.

The FCDO has said: “Exercise extreme caution, follow local authorities’ advice, including orders to stay indoors and avoid non‑essential travel in affected areas.”

If you’re in an area affected by the travel advice and wish to leave, your first port of call should be your travel firm or travel agent, who can advise on any changes to travel plans, or help you move the trip. You should also get in touch with your travel insurer to discuss your options for leaving safely and making a claim for any compensation or losses.

Meanwhile, travel firms will cancel holidays in areas where the Foreign Office advises against travel, so get in touch if you are due to travel within the coming days.If you’ve got a holiday booked that isn’t affected areas or isn’t due to take place for a while, you might be wondering what your rights are and what to do next. Travel firms and airlines will prioritise passengers who are due to depart imminently, so you may be asked to sit tight for now.

If you’re booked on a Mexico holiday leaving soon, but it’s not in an affected area, then it’s likely to still go ahead. Travel companies will be keeping a close eye on the situation as it changes, but are likely to only contact affected customers. If you’d like to change your holiday, it’s worth speaking to your travel provider’s customer service team to see what your options are.

Package holiday operators will sometimes offer flexibility in their policies in extreme circumstances, so while they may not have a legal obligation to switch your holiday, you may find that you’ll be given some options.

The Citizens Advice Bureau can be a good resource when it comes to your rights for cancelling a holiday. A statement on the website explains: « Your rights to cancel a package holiday (or a particular part of a holiday like a flight or a hotel booking) usually depend on the terms and conditions of your booking, and your reason for wanting to cancel.

« You might be entitled to cancel the holiday without a fee if:

• the holiday company makes significant changes to your holiday
• it puts certain prices up after you book
• you can’t get to your destination because of exceptional circumstances – like war or a natural disaster

« The company should pay any money you’re owed within 14 days of cancellation. If you change your mind about going, you can cancel but you’ll probably have to pay a fee. You might be covered for cancelling a trip if you have travel insurance – check your policy or contact the insurance company if you’re not sure. »

Areas such as Puerto Vallarta don’t have a large amount of British tourists and tend to be more popular with Americans and Canadians due to easy flight links. However, Mexico is becoming a popular winter sun spot for the British.

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