Tourist information on the Web can assist travelers not only in
choosing their destinations but making the most of their vacation time.
That said, on-line information about Mexico tends toward a glitzy
review of its coastal resorts. As a result, the tourism pages are rather
indistguishable from bland brochures. But there are other resources
available for savvy Web travelers and we'll review them in the first of a
two-part series.
Mexico's Secretariat of Tourism (Sectur)
Rating: *** (out of 5*)
The government's official website is based in Canada, which
explains why the information appears static. It used to be one
of the ugliest and most unfriendly websites; however, recent
additions allow greater feedback and this website is one that
deserves to be bookmarked and revisited on a regular basis.
Currently the Sectur site is graphics-heavy. If you are visiting in
text-only mode, it's difficult to make sense of the site. Also, text files
are rarely linked together, so it takes a great deal of searching to
connect information in a logical manner. The most frustrating aspect is
that the site overuses windows within windows, and readers must be
careful of where to click or the screen continually diminishes in size.
The site could be vastly improved with up-to-date information. Under
its official press releases, the only documents online date to 1996. The
Fiestas page (http://www.mexico-travel.com/fiestas/fiestas.html) could
be a great resource for trip planning if the information were more
current. For example, what is happening in Tlaxcala or Puebla this
summer? That kind of information is not on-line.
The two most useful pages are the indices of Mexican states
(http://mexico-travel.com/destinations/states.html) and a search engine
(http://mexico-travel.com/search_eng.html). There is good information
here, but you'll have to hunt for it.
Traveler's Guide to Mexico
Rating: ***
Based on the famous guidebook of the same name, this new
website features general information on Mexico. The book
seems to be a staple of Mexico's better hotels and has tempted
travelers to plan ahead by both destination and
accommodation.
Want to stay in a remodeled hacienda or colonial mission? The guide
shows off Mexico's best places to stay the night, providing you're
willing to spend the extra pesos.
Like the book, the website is divided by destinations, although the site
is currently under construction. Border cities such as Hermosillo or
Monterrey are listed, but the information is not yet on-line.
What you will find on-line is useful and first-rate data. In the list of
Oaxaca hotels, (http://www.travelmexico.com.mx/cities/oax.html), the
page includes phone numbers and good descriptions. You'll find
similar background information about resorts such as Huatulco or Los
Cabos. It's a pleasure reading about Mexico from this archive, and
you'll always know where you can spend the night.
City View
Rating: *
It is unclear who is responsible for this website, and perhaps
that's a good thing for its creators. This is one of the many
general interest websites that treat Mexico as an afterthought.
It is poorly organized and slow to access.
The graphics on this site make the pages from Sectur seem easy to
load. Contact information is missing, except in the case where one
would like to advertise, which begs the question, "Why?"
There are better sites to visit for specific information, and next month
we'll review the websites featuring Oaxaca and Acapulco.
Ron Mader hosts the Eco Travels in Latin America website
(http://www.planeta.com ). He can be contacted at
ron@greenbuilder.com.
Business Mexico is a monthly English-language magazine
dedicated to topics that affect the business environment and the
bilateral business community. It's considered a valuable tool for
decision making and is read each month by 35,000 high-level
executives from 2,700 of the country´s strongest companies that
make up AMERICAN CHAMBER/MEXICO´s membership. For subscription
info, email: busmex@amchammex.com.mx
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