MEXICO TOURISM BOARD /CONSEIL DE PROMOTION TOURISTIQUE DU MEXIQUE

Press Release/Communiqué de presse:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mexican State of Guerrero to Implement Shark Attack Prevention Program

Zihuatanejo, Mexico (May, 30, 2008) The Mexican state of Guerrero, located on the Pacific Coast, has launched a program destined to prevent, inform and supervise in order to avoid the risks of shark attacks at the beaches of local cities La Union and Zihuatanejo de Azueta.

Mexican Secretary of Tourism Ernesto Rodríguez Escalona explained that the program includes immediate preventive actions, but also orders the development of studies and recommendations by international shark experts. Among them is the American researcher George Burgess, director of the Program for Shark Research and curator of the International Shark Attack Department, both established in Florida.

Burgess, who has analyzed and compiled data about over 4,000 cases of shark attacks in the whole world, arrived last Tuesday in Zihuatanejo.

Rodríguez declared that until now, no tourist has cancelled a reservation and the beaches remain open and under surveillance by the protection plan launched on May 27^th.

Among the actions proposed in the first stage of the preventive plan is the definition of a Special Attention Area, covering just over 15 square kilometers. This area, ranging from Playa Saladita to Playa Linda, will be constantly patrolled by coastal boats embarkations. In addition, two lifeguard towers have already been installed in the area to intensify surveillance and an emergency phone number will be set to signal urgent situations.

In order to further warn the population, the local government has printed 10,000 copies of a brochures titled Protection Manual against Shark Attacks, which is to be distributed to tourists and inhabitants of the area during surveillance rounds made by quads.

Finally, to add up to this initiative and guarantee the safety of tourists and visitors, the State Secretariat of Tourism, along with the Office of Conventions and Visitors of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo and the state’s Association of Hotels and Motels will continuously issue press releases -both electronically and in print form- to be sent to the main communication media.

ABOUT THE MEXICO TOURISM BOARD

The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) brings together the resources of federal and state governments, municipalities and private companies to promote Mexico's tourism attractions and destinations nationally and internationally. Created in 1999, the MTB is Mexico’s tourism promotion agency, and its participants include members of both the private and public sectors. The MTB has offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

FOR JOURNALISTS ONLY

For additional ideas, help with a story or general travel and tourism information about Mexico, please contact the MTB’s Canadian Press Room directly at 1-866-895-5297, by e-mail at canadianpress@visitmexico.com, or visit our Press Web site at www.visitmexicopress.com. To access an online warehouse of free, downloadable b-roll, visit www.thenewsmarket.com/visitmexicopress.