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Brits snap up cheap deals to flu-hit Mexico
Wednesday, May 27, 2009 An online travel agency says Brits are ignoring swine flu fears and continuing to fly to Mexico. Chris Brown, managing director of Sunshine.co.uk said forward bookings had increased by 38% in the past two months compared with the same period last year.  He said he presumed consumers were keen to grab a cheap luxury holiday owing to falling prices to Mexico (pictured). The Foreign Office recently downgraded its advice against all but essential travel to Mexico. Sunshine had initially received a number of cancellation requests from holidaymakers due to leave for Mexico in May, June and July. But forward bookings for the Central American country are on the up. Brown said: “We can’t be sure as to why there has been this sudden increase in holiday bookings and enquiries for Mexico, but all we can do is offer advice to our customers about what to do if the swine flu epidemic is not over at the time of their scheduled holiday. “This time last year, the majority of holidays booked to Mexico were for the coming summer months. "However, almost 100% of bookings for Mexico taken this April and May are for November and December 2009, by which time Brits are hoping swine flu will no longer be a concern.” Mexico’s president, Felipe Calderon, yesterday announced a €65 million global investment project to repair the country’s “damaged image”. The Vive Mexico campaign is seen by the Mexican public as a last-ditch attempt to save its economy which has been devastated by the impact of the swine flu outbreak. Calderon said every Mexican citizen had a responsibility to help promote the country. “Millions of families in this country make their living from tourism. And these honest, hardworking people are suffering difficult times," he said. The Mexican tourist board in London said it was awaiting confirmation about how much of the Vive Mexico campaign budget would be invested in the UK. • Swine flu fears hit bookings to the US (14 May 2009)
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