I like that headline so much I almost don’t want to write anything else. But since I get sick of people asking “But is it safe?” when I tell them I’m living in Mexico, it’s time for a reality check. Turn off the scaremongering cable news  channels and read these stories instead.

This New York Times article says despite the news noise, Mexican tourism is up 17.8% this year because the deals are so good. And hopefully, people are learning how to read a map.

The Economist, always the place I turn to for the most balanced news, seconds the notion with this article, Can’t Keep Them Away. I really liked their one from a few months ago, Mexico: Safer than Canada. (Well, the Yucatan anyway.)

Here’s a good news/bad news rundown from the San Francisco Chronicle on which places are really trouble spots and in which places you’ll be better off than you would be in your own home town.

Lest you think I’m a blind cheerleader though, I’ll share that I postponed a planned trip to Patzcuaro, in Michoacan state, because things have gotten more unstable there lately. And I’m not heading to Acapulco anytime soon. Otherwise, most of the trouble is along the US/Mexican border. Guns heading south, drugs heading north, and two rival cartels duking it out over the proceeds.

And if you want a second opinion, scroll through the Lonely Planet message boards. Here are the ones that come up for safety in Mexico.

Related posts:

1. Travel Safety in Perspective, Take 27: Michoacan, Mexico
2. Travel Safety in Perspective: USA vs. Mexico
3. Zacatecas: Just another incredible Mexican city with almost no foreign tourists
4. The State Fair, Mexican Style