The United States has issued a warning about a popular tourist destination in Mexico ahead of spring break. On Jan. 27, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City cautioned against travel to the Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso and San Fernando towns in the Tamaulipas region bordering Texas and the Gulf of Mexico.

Travel companies call them ‘genervacations’: holidays, often luxurious ones, paid for by the bank of mum and dad (or indeed granny and grandad). The Jimmy Buffett-branded cruise ship will be adding features from its sister ship MAS Islander, as well as an improved terminal experience. It would quadruple the city’s lackluster trail network.

Due to increased criminal activity and kidnapping, the U.S. government issued its highest security warning (level four) for travel to several cities in the Tamaulipas state, including Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso, and San Fernando. Level four advisories are issued when travellers are advised to avoid all travel to cities, states, or regions.

This week, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City sent out a warning against travel to the Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso and San Fernando towns in the Tamaulipas region.

Amid escalating violence and IEDs, the U.S. Embassy advises against travel to the US- Mexico border and Mexico's Tamaulipas region.

Cities in the Tamaulipas region include Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso, San Fernando – some popular beach destinations with spring breakers. The US embassy in Mexico said in a security alert on 27 January: “The U.S. Consulate is aware of increasingly frequent gun battles occurring in and around Reynosa in the late night and early morning hours.”