The Foreign Office warns against traveling to the popular holiday paradise

Vacation and entertainment

White sandy beaches in wide bays, surrounded by the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains: Acapulco de Juárez is the largest city in the Mexican state of Guerrero and is famous for its party scene, nightclubs, golf courses and distinctive high-rise hotels.

No wonder the area is so popular among tourists. In addition, the peak tourist season begins in a few weeks. But anyone who has booked a vacation in a supposed vacation paradise should think twice about their trip again.

The high tourist season begins in December.Photo: AFP/Alfredo Estrella

For these reasons, the Foreign Office advises against travel to Acapulco

The German Foreign Ministry advises against non-essential travel to the state of Guerrero – with the exception of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo and the city of Taxco. website Currently, however.

The reason for this is Hurricane Otis, which caused significant damage to the infrastructure in and around Acapulco. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, restoring water and electricity supplies as well as communications routes may take weeks or months. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also warns of the danger of looting and robbery in the disaster area.

On Wednesday of last week, Hurricane Otis hit the Mexican coast with wind speeds reaching 270 kilometers per hour. According to current results, at least 48 people have been killed, 43 are still missing – and many more have been injured.

The area was hit hard by Hurricane Otis.Photo: AP/Felix Marquez

At the end of the week, the government announced that the storm had damaged and completely destroyed about 273,000 homes. According to Javier Saldívar, president of the Mexican Hotel Association, 95 percent of tourist facilities in Acapulco have been destroyed.

Acapulco: This is how tourists get on-site assistance

For those currently still in the area, it is important to know that evacuation procedures are still ongoing. According to Express, buses will travel to Mexico City from different departure points in Acapulco. In particularly urgent cases, air transportation will also be provided.

However, travelers should note that reservations are not possible and they will have to go to the airport independently. Some larger hotels will work with Ángeles Verdes to provide airport transfers.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses that it is necessary to follow the instructions of local authorities, security forces and hotel staff. If someone goes missing after a hurricane, relatives can file a missing person report – although this only works in Spanish.

You can report missing persons at the following phone numbers:

The vacation to Acapulco is already booked: you can do it now

If a holiday destination is hit by unusual circumstances, such as earthquakes, fires – or even hurricanes, tourists can often cancel their trip for free, as “Travel correspondent” mentioned.

This is what the travel law stipulates. A prerequisite for this is that these conditions actually affect the holiday destination, which will be the case with a trip to Acapulco. However, this right only applies to sightseeing tours. Anyone who has booked a flight and hotel separately should hope for good faith.