Reports of cartel violence make would-be visitors less likely to travel to Mexico
Core finding
Reports of cartel-related violence are weighing on Americans' Mexico travel plans, a May 2026 Verasight survey finds. Nearly one-in-five Americans (18%) say they were considering visiting Mexico but are now less likely to go, while 12% were considering a trip and say their plans have not changed.
Six-in-ten (60%) were never planning to visit Mexico and still are not, and 10% say they are not familiar with the recent cartel-related reports.
Topline distribution
Reports of cartel violence make would-be visitors less likely to travel to Mexico.
How have recent reports of cartel-related violence in Mexico affected your likelihood of traveling there for tourism?
n = 1,000 · May 11, 2026 · MoE ±3.3%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | May 11, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.3% |
| Module | politics |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26
How have recent reports of cartel-related violence in Mexico affected your likelihood of traveling there for tourism?
Cite this question
Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.