Mexican drug violence hits tourism

PHOENIX, March 15 (UPI) -- Drug violence in Mexico is hampering efforts to attract U.S. hunters to Mexico and crippling local economies that depend on that form of tourism, officials say.

Mexico's generous bag limits and extended hunting seasons have long attracted U.S. hunters but travel warnings and reports of drug-related shootings and massacres have reduced business as much as 80 percent during the 2009-2010 season, The Arizona Republic reported Monday.

Hunters usually pay $2,000 to $5,000 for a three-day hunting trip, so the loss of income is hitting local hunting business hard, the newspaper said.

"It's been terrible," said Javier Plata, an outfitter and vice president of Mexico's En La Mira Hunters and Shooters Association. "It's really fears about the drug violence, not the economy. These hunters are wealthy people, and they can afford the trip."

Overall tourism in Mexico was down in 2009 compared to 2008, but hunting is particularly hard hit since 97 percent of the country's hunting preserves are in northern states with the most intense drug violence, the Republic said.

"People see that stuff, and they're just not going to go," said Tom Brown, who does booking for Ojo Caliente Outfitters in Chihuahua state. "We're way off (in bookings), and it's getting worse."