Carnival Cruises wants to return to Mexico

This article is taken from a daily travel agent news letter that I subscribe to.

Carnival's Arison Seeks Lifting of Mexico Travel AdvisoryPublished on: May 14, 2009

Carnival Corp. Chairman and CEO Micky Arison (pictured) is asking President Obama and federal authorities to lift the advisory that discourages non-essential travel to Mexico due to fears of H1N1 influenza. “This travel advisory is, in effect, a ban on cruise travel to Mexico,” Arison wrote in a letter on behalf of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, which he chairs. “Cruise ships have stopped taking passengers to all Mexican ports. The impact of this ban on the economy of Mexico is very serious. It will have unintended consequences on Mexican citizens that include loss of employment, revenues to governments, and ultimately their public health and welfare.”


Arison said cruise ships have medical facilities onboard, screen passengers, and have worked closely for many years with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Our medical professionals agree with CDC and World Health Organization officials who have publicly stated that the H1N1 virus is generally no greater health risk than seasonal influenza,” Arison wrote. “The WHO issued the enclosed statement titled, ‘No Rationale for Travel Restrictions.’ The Department of Homeland Security has determined that closing land border crossings is not warranted. Airlines offer flights to Mexico, although the travel advisory has had a similar effect on leisure travel to Mexican resorts. It is now apparent that the health implications of H1N1 are not limited to Mexico. The same precautions that you mentioned this week should apply to all travelers, domestic and international. Effectively banning travel to the entire country causes unnecessary widespread harm to Mexico. We respectfully request that the State Department encourage CDC to revise this Travel Advisory to allow responsible travel to Mexico.”