Travel warning issued to popular tourist spot ahead of spring break

The United States has issued a warning about a popular tourist destination in Mexico ahead of spring break.

On Jan. 27, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City cautioned against travel to the Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso and San Fernando towns in the Tamaulipas region bordering Texas and the Gulf of Mexico.

The threat level in the region has been upgraded to “Level 4 — Do Not Travel Due to Crime and Kidnapping,” the highest of the U.S. State Department’s four-tier safety ranking system.

However, the travel advisory level for Mexico as a whole has remained at “Level 2 —Exercise Increased Caution” for several years, along with other popular American tourist destinations including France and Germany.

The recent alert was issued due to “increasingly frequent gun battles” in the areas in the late night and early morning hours, as well as the rising implementation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by criminal organizations.

This comes after the Mexican government issued a warning about the devices following the destruction of an official Mexican vehicle in Rio Bravo by an IED on Jan. 23.

U.S. government employees specifically have been instructed to only travel in and around Reynosa and Rio Bravo during daylight and to avoid dirt roads throughout Tamaulipas.

People should be aware of their surroundings, monitor local media for updates and notify friends and family of their safety.

Despite security concerns in several areas, international tourism to Mexico increased last year, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), Mexico News Daily reported.

The Tamaulipas region is known for its natural attractions and eco-activities including beautiful beaches and prime birdwatching.

The security warning comes as tensions between the U.S. and Mexico continue to escalate amid tariff threats.