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CAMILLUS, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — If you plan on heading to Mexico anytime soon, you may want to be cautious. The U.S. Department of State has issued a “Do Not Travel” warning for parts of Mexico.

As many are heading to the airport to catch a flight to somewhere warmer than Northeast Ohio for President’s Day weekend or a winter break, one of those destinations is Mexico.

“I actually have four couples in Mexico right now and about four different parties going next week,” said Deanna Taylor, senior travel advisor for AAA Western and Central New York.

But traveling to certain parts of Mexico right now is far from ideal. The government has issued a “Do Not Travel” warning for six states over the increased risk of crime and kidnapping, all related to drug cartel activity. If you are traveling to Cancun, Cozumel and the Riviera Maya, all three popular destinations and tourist areas, the government is urging travelers to “Exercise Increased Caution.”

Deanna Taylor, senior travel advisor for AAA Western and Central New York has been a travel agent for 30 years. She says during those 30 years, she has never had someone not return to Mexico because of a bad experience. But says it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be aware of your surroundings.

“You certainly wouldn’t want to be wandering off resorts in unfamiliar areas especially late at night, you don’t want to be carrying a lot of cash on your person.,” said Taylor.

Some other tips include never traveling alone and never leaving the resort unless you are with a tour group.

If you already have a trip planned to Mexico and want to change your destination, Taylor says there are ways you can do so. First, contact your travel agent and tell them the situation you are in and the concerns you may have due to the government issuing a travel warning for Mexico. The travel agent should be able to work out a plan for you and change your destination or cancel your trip altogether. If you have travel insurance, you most likely will not be paying out of pocket. This covers changes/cancellations.

Click here to see a list of states in Mexico and travel warnings from the U.S. Department of State.