Violence takes harsh toll on Oaxaca tourism

0 Comments | USA TODAY, November, 2006 | by Laura Bly

In years past, the elaborate rituals surrounding Mexico's Day of the Dead holiday drew throngs of tourists to Oaxaca (wah-HAH-cah), a southern capital famous for its colonial architecture, indigenous handicrafts and cuisine, and Spanish-language schools. But this week's celebrations in the city of 275,000 have been eclipsed by escalating tensions.

Federal troops moved in last weekend to dislodge a five-month-long siege by protesters demanding removal of the state governor, and visitors are few. "Tourism is down across the board, but in Oaxaca it's been drastic," with city occupancy rates dipping to 10%, says John Wileman of the Oaxaca Hotel Group. One three-star hotel on the main square, the Marques del Valle, has closed, and the high-end Camino Real has been a target of...