HEBRON, Ky. — It is spring break season for many colleges and universities across the country — including the University of Cincinnati, the University of Dayton and Ohio University. This year, it's happening at a time the U.S. State Department issued a "travel advisory" for Mexico, considered to be one of the most popular spring break destinations.
The good news is that the U.S. is not banning travel to places like Cancun or Riviera Maya, which are some top travel destinations during spring break. However, the state department is still urging travelers to be careful because of more cases of violent crime which include kidnapping and homicide.
CVG Airport projects 1.2 million passengers will fly through its airport in March and April during spring break, many of whom are people looking to escape the cold and enjoy the beach.
"Hundreds of people at once are trying to park, get through check-in and all of that, so when we say arrive two hours before your departure, we mean it," said Mindy Kershner, CVG spokesperson.
Kershner also recommends arriving at the airport three hours before any international flights. CVG released the top 10 cities where travelers are headed for spring break, which includes Cancun.
"Certainly Mexico has created a heightened awareness for travelers," said Pamela Kwiatkowski, chief insurance officer for Goose Insurance Services. "It's a popular destination for spring break travelers, particularly the younger crowd who are on spring break."
The U.S. State Department placed "do not travel" advisories for six Mexican states for what it considers "high-risk incidents" of violent crime. The Texas Department of Public Safety is also urging people to not cross into Mexico at all.
"Because of the increased violence and the fact that the Mexican drug cartels represent a significant threat to anyone who crosses into Mexico and just the sheer, you know, volatile nature of these, of these criminal organizations," said Christopher Olivarez, Texas Department of Public Safety.
Olivarez was even urging Americans to be careful at popular spring break resorts because of threats of the cartels. Keep in mind, the State Department travel advisory did not include Quintana Roo, where Cancun is located, but they are still urging travelers to "exercise increased caution."
"Take air travel to your destination stay at a resort, stay on the resort and really be a smart traveler," said Kwiatkowski.
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