Sask. travellers return upbeat after Puerto Vallarta unrest

Saskatchewan travellers began returning home from Puerto Vallarta this week with a mix of relief and resilience, as airlines worked through flight disruptions triggered by violence that flared in the Mexican resort city over the weekend.

One of the travellers, Lawerence Rospad from Nipawin, said he and his partner had spent 15 nights in Puerto Vallarta and were scheduled to fly home Monday, just after unrest erupted.

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“I was shocked we got out of there,” Rospad said, describing a return trip that despite the tension earlier in the week, ultimately ran on schedule.

Rospad said he started seeing reports and social media posts on Sunday, then witnessed the situation unfold closer to where he was staying.

“The hotel we were at, there was a car burning, probably 100 meters away,” he said. “Then you started to see things from around the city, gas stations were set on fire.”

He said the scene was especially jarring because Puerto Vallarta is typically busy.

“It was just no one,” Rospad said. “The streets were just dead, basically, people went into hiding.”

Rospad said the uncertainty weighed on travellers who were trying to figure out what was real, what was rumour, and what it meant for flights out of the region.

But he said the mood changed quickly. By Monday, he said he noticed things starting to calm down, and by the time he headed toward the airport, Puerto Vallarta looked closer to normal.

“People were out walking. Grocery stores were busy,” he said. “That just flabbergasted me that we even got home and stayed on our regular scheduled flight.”

He said leaving felt different from past trips – not because he’d fallen out of love with the destination – but because this time there was a sense of urgency and relief.

“I was quite excited to leave,” Rospad said.

Even so, he said he felt for residents and workers who were forced to keep going while tourists stayed sheltered.

“There were people at the resort who never left the hotel and they worked all day long,” he said. “Those people have families and lives and they’re keeping a great face and smiling.”

Rospad said that the experience shook him.

“At first, I remember saying I don’t want to do this again,” he said.

But a few days later, after seeing the calm return, he said his perspective softened.

“We quite like it there and the people are wonderful,” he said. “You really feel empathy for the people. They work so hard.”

He also pointed out that even with travel advisories and disruptions, many Canadians still chose to go, including travellers leaving Saskatchewan.

For those still trying to get home or deciding whether to travel, Shanna Schill of CAA Travel told the CKOM Morning Show that airlines’ top priority is clearing backlogs of passengers whose trips were unexpectedly extended.

“The priority is going to be for the airline to get those folks that have been stuck down there for a few days past their return date,” Schill said. “They want to get them back sooner rather than later.”

Schill said even with flights resuming, it can take time for schedules to return to normal after a multi-day pause.

Her advice to travellers is simple.

“I just recommend that before you head to the airport, you’re reaching out to the airline that you’re travelling with and making sure that your flight is still going as scheduled,” Schill said.

Shill said she’s been hearing a mixed reaction from clients.

“For people that haven’t been there before, those people are going to be a little bit more leery,” she said. “From a lot of the people that are regular travellers to the Puerto Vallarta area, we’re hearing that this isn’t going to stop them, they love the people and they’re willing to try again.”

Schill said that travellers looking for alternatives have been asking here about other destinations.

“Huatulco is always a really great destination if you want to look outside of Mexico, there’s Costa Rica, Jamaica, Bali,” she said.

Back in Saskatchewan, Rospad said he returned home, tired but relieved, and he didn’t want his experience to be misunderstood as a reason to abandon the destination entirely.

“You see it pretty much anywhere you travel now, there’s a warning or precaution you should take,” Rospad said. “That’s just kind of the norm now.”

And while he didn’t downplay what he saw, he said he is still determined not to let the fear define his view of Puerto Vallarta, adding he already had another trip booked for next winter.