Fodor’s No List 2018

Fodor’s, one of the leading travel publishers in the world, just came up with a list of top destinations not to visit in 2018. They call in the Fodor’s No List. Unsurprisingly, they have added Honduras to that list. I say this, because press loves to hammer Honduras with trash. It measures the country with a different standard that it does elsewhere.  Yes I am accusing Fodor’s of bias! I am even accusing them of not doing their research well. Finally, I think they are putting pears and apples in the same basket. Intentional or not, it is confusing to their readers. Here is why I dare write what I have in the above lines.

Fodor’s No List 2018 is Biased!

Fodor’s make reference to Honduras as the having the highest murder rates in the planet. To prove it they provide a link to a document that dates back to 2014 and has statistics based of 2013. A lot has happened in Honduras in the past 35 years.  For one, the murder rate has fallen from 90.4 per 100,000 in 2012 to 59 in 100,000 in 2016. 2017 should be even lower! Granted, that figure is still high and needs to more work. Yet it is living proof that the government of Honduras is addressing the issue.

Fodor’s also makes reference to the fact a high percentage of the crimes are committed by the National Police. It is untrue that ALL the police members are corrupt and involved in organized crime. I do admit that  some of the leaders have  colluded with organized crime. As a matter of fact, several police offers have extradited to the US. This after US Courts requested them to the Honduras Justice. They will to to trial in the US courts. Most are accused of colluding with the local drug cartels.

Flavio Lobo, son of ex President Jose Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo is the US standing trial for colluding and protecting drug cartels. The link that Fodor’s uses to justify their claim about the National Police dates to early 2016 and refers to information from 2015. Many different police officers have been given a dishonorable discharge from the police force. The process is ongoing, and the National Police in Honduras has improved substantially in the last few years

Sadly, Fodors has fallen into the play of the same organizations that have caused much damage to Honduras: Organized crime. They are fighting the government by hiding the progress made in security. This helps keep tourists away, which in turn helps keep people from earning a decent living in Honduras.  If you keep people in poverty, they will seek to survive in whatever form and fashion. Many choose to migrate to the USA.

Which brings me to a different point: If you are a migrant trying to get in the USA illegally and you get caught, what would you tell the local authorities? Would you tell them outright that you are looking to make a living and get a job in the USA? If you do, they will deport you back to your country immediately! If you state that you are escaping from gangs and violence in Honduras and fear for you life, you may get a break. For obvious reasons, you will say you are escaping the gangs that control your neighborhood! Most migrants come from rural areas in Central America. Gangs thrive in the cities, not in the small villages in rural Honduras!

Most of Fodor’s No Go Destinations Have Become Tourist Traps. Not the Case For Honduras!

As a final point, as I mentioned in the opening, the editorial is mixing apples with pears.  It lists specific destinations, such as the Galapagos Islands, the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China. Then includes whole countries, like Myanmar and Honduras. There are many different destinations within Honduras that are safe and worth visiting. As a matter of fact, they offer the opposite of what Fodor’s critizes in their list because they have become tourist traps. Honduras is not a Tourist Trap! This is one of the reasons why you should visit Honduras!

Honduras offers many safe destinations to visit. The people of Honduras are some of the friendliest in Latin America. Many destinations are worth visiting. Consider the Bay Islands, the Mayan Archaeological Park in Copan Ruinas, Lake Yojoa and Pico Bonito in Atlantida. You will enjoy discovering the beauty of Honduras and meeting the friendly people of this country. Best of all, you will do so at your pace without having a gazillion people pushing you around trying to get a photo.

At first I felt upset when I read the Fodor’s don’t visit list. Then I decided not to get mad, but to share the truth about Honduras. Yes the country has many things to work on and a long way to go. But by visiting it, you will be helping its people, having the time of your life. Read through the reviews that travelers post on the net about their hotel stays and attractions they visited. You will seldom find a note saying they felt unsafe… Proof enough of how safe they felt in Honduras! There are many good reasons to travel to Honduras in 2018! Are you are looking for the top sites to visit in Honduras? There are many great alternatives! Enjoy!