By Michael Jahina
daily bruin contributor
mjahina@media.ucla.edu
The biggest dilemma many students face during winter quarter is
not how to cram for three midterms in a day, but how to spend the
final week of March ““ spring break.
The consensus is that the top spring break spot this year is
once again Cancun, according to Travel Cuts and STA Travel,
Westwood’s two travel agencies dedicated to students.
Both agencies said early January was the time to purchase spring
break packages.
Prices have since risen dramatically and Travel Cuts’
“Suncoast Package” to Cancun has actually sold out.
Travel Cuts can still sell a trip to Cancun, but it won’t
be the traditional spring break package.
“Cancun would be a little more expensive because it would
be packaged individually,” said Travel Cuts Manager Rob
Donaldson.
STA Travel said most students initially show interest in Cancun
but end up considering other destinations such as Mazatlan or
Puerto Vallarta due to financial restrictions.
“Cancun is the one everyone wants to go on, though,”
said STA Travel Manager Julie Thompson.
Both agencies cater primarily toward a clientele of UCLA
students, with approximately 95 percent of Travel Cuts’
spring break sales coming from UCLA students and 85 percent for STA
Travel.
Other popular destinations at Travel Cuts are Jamaica and Cabo
San Lucas, while domestic destinations such as Hawaii and New York
have been more popular with STA Travel.
Both travel agencies agree that anywhere in Mexico is still
trendy.
However, some traditionally hot spring break spots are
experiencing a change in appeal due to tragedies that occurred in
recent years.
During last year’s spring break period in Cancun, there
were two deaths, four injuries requiring medical evacuations and
360 arrests, according to the U.S. Consulate in Hermosillo,
Mexico.
Previously, 140,000 students would go to Cancun during the two
months which encompass U.S. universities’ spring breaks. Now,
that number has dropped to 40,000, according to a spokesperson for
the Office of Tourism in Mexico City.
Cancun also faces future factors that will be detrimental to its
notoriously wild image, according to Leadership to Keep Children
Alcohol Free, a coalition of governors’ spouses, federal
agencies and other organizations.
The coalition states that many hotels, bars and nightclubs
catering to students during spring break have signed a
“civility agreement,” which will compel companies to
strictly enforce laws that were previously overlooked.
Although Cancun’s image may have slightly diminished, the
city remains a top spring break destination.