Will the most recent death affect Mexico tourism?

Canadian consular officials are now working closely with authorities in Mexico as they try to track down the killers of a B.C. man.

Robin Wood of Salt Spring Island was shot to death on Tuesday when he confronted a pair of masked robbers at the home where he was staying. Mexican police have identified one suspect in the case, but have not yet made an arrest.

All of this was happening in the town of Melaque, south of Puerto Vallarta, a popular destination for many Canadians.

It’s no secret Mexico has gained an ugly reputation over the past couple of years for gang wars and gun battles in the street. But should tourists really be worried?

According to recent figures from the United Nations, Mexico’s murder rate is significantly lower than Honduras, Jamaica or El Salvador, but that doesn’t change the fact that some places in Mexico are extraordinarily dangerous.

While the perception of Mexico might be one of a dangerous country to visit, journalists in Mexico are quick to point out tourists are most often not the targets.

“Generally in Mexico, there is no special danger for foreigners. Mugging, burglary do happen in Mexico, the same as they do in many other cities around the world,” says journalist Ioan Grillo, who has spent a decade covering the Mexican drug trade.

Sixteen Canadians have been murdered in Mexico since 2006. Some of the deaths were high profile crimes in five-star resorts, others were killed in seedy nightclubs in cities known to be narcotic trafficking hubs.

Foreign Affairs has now issued specific warnings for parts of Mexico. Cities on the US border like Tijuana and Juarez are considered extremely dangerous, and once bustling tourist destinations like Mazatlan and Acapulco have become less well visited because of the increased presence of cartels.

“In the main tourist destinations like Cancun, in the big resorts, it is still very safe for Canadian tourists to visit,” argues Grillo.

But it seems the news of violent crime hasn’t dampened the demand for Mexican vacations as more people than ever are looking south for their winter holiday.

More than a million Canadians travel to sun drenched Mexican beaches every year.