The U.S. government downgraded its travel warning for the city and state of Oaxaca, saying that U.S. citizens should simply “use caution” in the region instead of avoiding travel, an advisory that was issued last November.
Tourism professionals and journalists ask whether it’s time to promote travel to Oaxaca. Most locals say ‘yes’ and the sooner the better. True, things remain uncertain (‘unresolved’ is the frequently used word in conversations), but that alone should not deter visitors.
During this tense period there have been several advances, including the development of an association of bed and breakfast hotels and an association of Spanish language schools. Said one hotel owner, “After all that’s happened, we cannot remain the same. It’s time to find who we are as Oaxacans and what we wish to show the world.”
New essay on Planeta:
http://www.planeta.com/planeta/07/0701oaxaca.html
Valere Tjolle
