Hordes of students have flocked to Fort Lauderdale Beach as Florida spring break is in full swing.
Officials in some parts of the state have said they are preparing for the first full spring break season since 2019 and expect even higher-than-usual numbers.
An increased police presence was also observed along the beach in Fort Lauderdale. Officers on bikes, buggies and SUVs patrolled the area, others were seen guiding K-9s between sunbathers on the crowded beach.
Preparations for the busy season come as US officials, including the State Department, warned Americans not to travel to Mexico following a spate of violent crime. Last month, four Americans were kidnapped and two killed in Matamoros, Mexico.
Still, some spring breakers have turned up in droves in Cancun, in Mexico’s Quintana Roo state, where the US has advised travelers to exercise caution.
Spring break is in full swing in Fort Lauderdale and the city is expected to have its first full spring break since 2019
Officials in some parts of the state have said they are preparing for the first full spring break season since 2019 and expect even higher-than-usual numbers
Officials in parts of Florida have said they are preparing for a large influx of visitors in the coming month, while Texas warned students not to visit Mexico
The beach is packed as women lie down to soak up as much sun as possible in the sunshine state
Preparations for the busy season come as US officials, including the State Department, warned Americans not to travel to Mexico following a spate of violent crime
Men hold their beers above the waves while participating in traditional Florida spring breaks
Women pose for photos on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Tuesday March 14th
Beachgoers have fun in Fort Lauderdale, where the city sees large crowds before the pandemic
Tampa International Airport officials have said they expect a lot of visitors during the spring break season, which will last into next month.
The airport normally sees around 50,000 visitors a day, but is expected to increase to 100,000 over the next month.
“We’re looking for over 5 percent more seating in our market during the 2023 spring break compared to 2019, which was our last full spring break,” Tampa Airport vice president of operations Adam Bouchard told Fox13.
“We expect to set new records this spring break,” he added.
The change also means more flights to Mexico, around 550 per day, and larger aircraft.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday dismissed warnings from US officials, claiming they are part of an “anti-Mexico” movement orchestrated by some American politicians.
“Mexico is safer than the United States. There is no problem traveling safely through Mexico,” Obrador told reporters.
He added that the “anti-Mexico” rhetoric was the work of “conservative politicians in the United States who do not want our country’s transformation to continue.”
The President also suggested that the US media was also to blame for the alleged conspiracy.
“These conservative politicians dominate the majority of the news media in the United States,” he said. “This violence is not a reality,” he added. “It’s pure, heinous manipulation.”
TikTok videos from the beach show how busy the parties are this year on the shore
Spring break parties also had their fun south of the border in Cancun, Mexico
“We’re looking for over 5 percent more seating in our market during the 2023 spring break compared to 2019, which was our last full spring break,” Tampa Airport vice president of operations Adam Bouchard told Fox13
The increase in American students choosing to party in Florida may mean less in Mexico, where a series of violent incidents have sparked fear
Last month, four Americans were kidnapped and two killed in Matamoros, Mexico. Still, some spring breakers have turned up in droves in Cancun, in Mexico’s Quintana Roo state, where the US has told travelers to “exercise increased caution”.
Tampa International Airport officials have said they expect a lot of visitors during the spring break season, which will last into next month
Tampa Airport normally sees around 50,000 visitors a day, but that number is expected to increase to 100,000 next month
Fort Lauderdale police were seen leading K-9s through the crowded beach
These are the current US government travel advisories for Mexico. Only two states — Yucatan and Campeche — are completely counsel-free
Preparations for the busy season come as US officials, including the State Department, warned Americans not to travel to Mexico following a spate of violent crime. In Fort. Lauderdale Police could be patrolling the beaches
A group of women lie face down on the beach in Fort Lauderdale on March 14 as spring break season begins
Ft Lauderdale Beach is a popular spring break destination on Florida’s Atlantic Coast
Spring breakers gather at parties on Fort Lauderdale beach on March 14th
A tired spring breaker lies down on a bench on Ft Lauderdale beach on March 14
An increased police presence was also observed along the beach. Officers on bicycles, buggies and marked SUVs patrolled the area
The travel advice and controversy surrounding travel in Mexico comes as increased attention has been paid to the dangers Americans face in Mexico. Notably, earlier this month, a group of four were kidnapped by a drug cartel in a saga that left two of the victims dead.
“Drug cartel violence and other criminal activity pose a significant security threat to anyone entering Mexico,” Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said in a statement released Friday.
“We have a duty to educate the public about safety, travel risks and threats. Due to the volatile nature of the cartel activity and the violence we are witnessing there, we urge individuals to avoid travel to Mexico at this time.’
Latavia McGee, Shaeed Woodward, Eric James and Zindell Brown were kidnapped March 3 after driving from South Carolina to Mexico to have cosmetic procedures.
Footage showed them being thrown into the back of a pickup truck in broad daylight in the northeastern Mexican city of Matamoros.
After a massive manhunt and nationwide media coverage, the group was found on March 7 in a shed about ten kilometers from where they were abducted.
On March 14, Ft Lauderdale motorcycle police were seen pacing the beach
A spring breaker poses by a tree while her friends take photos
Spring breakers scattered across the Ft Lauderdale beach on March 14
At the rescue – McGee was seen barefoot and covered in dirt – her trauma was visible on her face. She survived the ordeal with Williams, who was shot in the left leg, according to Mexican officials. The others did not survive. Brown and Woodard had both been killed when found.
Mexican officials said they believe the incident may have been a case of “misidentity” and linked to the notorious “golf cartel” known in the region.
Robert Almonte, a former US Marshal for the Western District of Texas and retired deputy chief of the El Paso Police Department, told last week that Americans should consider boycotting all travel to Mexico because the government doesn’t care interested in curbing the violence.
“The bottom line is you are basically risking your life if someone decides to go to Mexico for any reason. It’s just a dangerous place,’ he said.
“I tell people not to go to Mexico. I advocate a boycott of Mexico. I tell people not to go to Mexico. Don’t go to the resorts. Let’s send a message to the Mexican government that they need to get on top of this situation.
“Right now they don’t care because it’s business as usual. It seems we don’t care, we ignore the situation.