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    Mexico expects millions to visit for 2012 solstice

    MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tourism officials said Thursday that 2012 will be a special year for Mexico, even though they don't expect the world to end Dec. 21.

    The Tourism Department says it will spend $8 million promoting tourism to the "Mayan World," the southeast Mexico region where the Mayan culture thrived. The area extends into Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

    Doomsday prognosticators' belief that the Maya predicted the end of the world for December 2012 has brought attention to one of Mexico's great cultures. Officials reject the prediction but hope the attention will draw tourists.

    Tourism Secretary Gloria Guevara expects 52 million tourists over the 1½ years of the plan. That would be 12 million more than usual, and could bring as much as $14.6 billion in extra tourism revenue.

    Authorities issued a suggested itinerary for visitors that includes Comalcalco, an archaeological site where one of the few engraved Mayan references to 2012 has been found.

    The Mayan civilization, which reached its height from A.D. 300 to 900, had a talent for astronomy.

    Its Long Count calendar begins in 3114 B.C., marking time in roughly 394-year periods known as Baktuns. Thirteen was a significant, sacred number for the Mayas, and the 13th Baktun ends on Dec. 21, 2012.

    Experts say the date was considered significant for the Maya, but doesn't imply an apocalypse. Rather it is the beginning of another calendar cycle, they say.

     

    88 comments

    • free USA  •  4 mths ago
      Target rich environment for Mexican bad guys. They are going to be busy between kidnappings and murders.
      Going to be a great year.
      • Daddy BUD 4 mths ago
        Mexico is safer than any large US city and most places are safer...its the US media that wants us scared and afraid to leave this nation...they want you money and your lives in the USA...we are such sheeple
    • JM  •  4 mths ago
      Too many stupid comments from ignorant guys up there in the USA, perhaps rednecks? The root of the problem lies just there in the USA, consumer # 1 of drugs in the world... the real druglords are domiciled right there in the USA and for sure they are wasp.
      • abm 4 mths ago
        as a canadian who lives in mexico, I believe you're right.
    • Dan  •  4 mths ago
      Come for the solstice....get your head chopped off for free...
    • A Yahoo! User  •  Austin, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      expects millions to come but expects another 47,500 tourist to die by the cartels in the next year
    • expletive_xom  •  4 mths ago
      you can visit any time you like....but you can never leave!
    • BenS  •  4 mths ago
      Good luck with that Mexico. I aint coming.
      • Dustyn 4 mths ago
        Thank God! one less idiot in mexico hahaha
      • So What 4 mths ago
        says Dusturd, the beanturd.
    • TkC  •  Las Vegas, Nevada  •  4 mths ago
      I don't think so !!
      I had a home in MX , south of PV, and not in an American onclave, with a beautiful ocean view, etc., etc. ..that I had not visited in 8 yrs. I broke even in $$$ when it was sold (lucky). My loss was $$ not life, limb, or the pursuit of my retirement dream.
      The drug LORDS (if you want to call them LORDS) have no loyality or dignity toward their country, their fellow countrymen, their parents, or anything else. The country has lost tourism from the cruise ships that use to disembark passengers at the countries ports .. they have lost the tourists at the border cities.. (Friends and I spent many an evening eating and dancing at local restaurants in border cities) They have lost airline tourism.
      Sorry Mexico, until the really nice people of Mexico can take back THEIR country, the writing on the wall spells TROUBLE for a very long time.
      • Adrian 4 mths ago
        I don't believe you.
    • ALLEN  •  4 mths ago
      I think that this falls in the category of wishful thinking.
    • RichardM  •  Rohnert Park, California  •  4 mths ago
      Go to Mexico enjoy the festivities, lose your head. Adios
    • DAGOPSUX  •  Laredo, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      Yep and the drug cartels will be waiting to rob them!
    • Jorge Urrechaga  •  Pleasanton, California  •  4 mths ago
      Wishful thinking! Everyone knows how dangerous that country is, so very few, only the uninformed or stupid, will vacation there.
      • Daniel 4 mths ago
        The stupid one is you the south part of mexico is clean , the drug wars are in middle and northern mexico.
      • A Yahoo! User 4 mths ago
        Mexico has enough problems at it is. Urrechaga....please return to country of origen.
      • So What 4 mths ago
        Please learn to spell Rob, and STOP defending the turdbowl called Mexico. You make me SICK! It is a failed, filthy, corrupt, culture of ignorant peasant TRASH!
    • keller  •  Manassas, Virginia  •  4 mths ago
      that is the biggest dream that i have ever heard ,,lol
    • do dah  •  4 mths ago
      The only way they will have a 1,000,000 people show up is if they deport all the economy sucking criminals out of this country .
    • Deez Nutz  •  4 mths ago
      and i expect none to return lol
    • Bend Over Bernanke  •  Chicago, Illinois  •  4 mths ago
      hey, good luck with that. Maybe there could be tourist buses running around town looking for a "live encounter" with some druglords while in action mode.
    • Gene  •  Chico, California  •  4 mths ago
      This is a joke,right?
    • Jus Gladii  •  Jonesboro, Arkansas  •  4 mths ago
      I'd rather hide out in an old outhouse than go to mexico; it'd be about the same.
    • lowell  •  Camden, North Carolina  •  4 mths ago
      I would NEVER go to Mexico...all that violence..and if it is so great...why are they here in the US????
    • Ray  •  Cicero, Illinois  •  4 mths ago
      Now if the tourism board could just convince 12 million plus illegals and their anchor babies to come for an extended visit...
    • Tom  •  Arvada, Colorado  •  4 mths ago
      Sure...Come visit the ancient Mayan ruins and die before the end of the world comes
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