Hordes of Spring Breakers descend on Florida beaches and co-eds return to Fort Lauderdale

Hordes of students have descended upon Fort Lauderdale Beach as spring break in Florida gets into full swing. 

Officials in some parts of the state have said they are gearing up for the first full-scale spring break season since 2019, and that they’re expecting numbers to be even higher than usual. 

A ramped-up police presence was also noticeable along the beach in Fort Lauderdale. Officers on bicycles, buggies and SUVs were seen patrolling the area, others were seen leading K-9s between sun bathers on the crowded beach.

Preparation for the busy season comes as US officials, including the Department of State, warned Americans against traveling to Mexico after a spate of violent crimes. Last month four Americans were kidnapped in Matamoros, Mexico, and two were killed.

Nonetheless, some spring breakers still showed up in droves to Cancun, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, where the US has told travelers to ‘exercise increased caution’.

Spring break in Ft Lauderdale is under full swing and its expected the city will have its first full-scale spring break since 2019

 Officials in some parts of the state have said they are gearing up for the first full-scale spring break season since 2019, and that they’re expecting numbers to be even higher than usual

Officials in parts of Florida have said they are preparing for a huge influx of visitors in the coming month, while Texas warned students not to visit Mexico

The beach is packed as women lay down to catch as much sun as possible in the sunshine state

 Preparation for the busy season comes as US officials, including the Department of State, warned Americans against traveling to Mexico after a spate of violent crimes

Men hold their beers above the waves as they partake in the traditional spring break in Florida 

Women pose for photos on Ft Lauderdale beach on Tuesday March 14

Beach goers have fun in Ft Lauderdale where the city is seeing pre-pandemic sized crowds

Officials from Tampa International Airport have said that across the spring break season, which will run through to next month, they are expecting many visitors. 

Usually the airport sees around 50,000 visitors a day but for the next month that’s expected to rise to 100,000.

‘We’re looking for over 5 percent more seats in our market in spring break 2023 than we saw in 2019, which was our last full spring break period,’ Adam Bouchard, Tampa airport’s vice president of operations, told Fox13.

‘We’re expecting to set new records this spring break,’ he added.

The change will also mean more flights into Mexico, around 550 a day, and larger aircraft.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pushed back on warnings from US officials on Monday, claiming they were part of an ‘anti-Mexico’ movement orchestrated by some American politicians.

‘Mexico is safer than the United States. There’s no problem with traveling safely around Mexico,’ Obrador told reporters.

He added that the ‘anti-Mexico’ rhetoric was the works of ‘conservative politicians in the United States who do not want the transformation of our country to continue.’

The president also suggested the US media was also to blame in the supposed conspiracy.

‘These conservative politicians dominate the majority of the news media in the United States,’ he said. ‘This violence is not a reality,’ he added. ‘It is pure, vile manipulation.’

‘We’re looking for over 5 percent more seats in our market in spring break 2023 than we saw in 2019, which was our last full spring break period,’ Adam Bouchard, Tampa airport’s vice president of operations, told Fox13 

The increase in American students choosing to party in Florida may mean fewer in Mexico, where a serious of violent incidents have sparked fear  

Last month four Americans were kidnapped in Matamoros, Mexico, and two were killed. Nonetheless, some spring breakers still showed up in droves to Cancun , in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, where the US has told travelers to ‘exercise increased caution’

Officials from Tampa International Airport have said that across the spring break season, which will run through to next month, they are expecting many visitors

Usually the Tampa airport sees around 50,000 visitors a day but for the next month that’s expected to rise to 100,000

Police in Ft. Lauderdale were seen leading K-9s through the crowded beach

These are the current travel advisories for Mexico from the US government. Only two states – Yucatan and Campeche – are completely free of advisories 

Preparation for the busy season comes as US officials, including the Department of State, warned Americans against traveling to Mexico after a spate of violent crimes. In Ft. Lauderdale police could be patrolling the beaches

A group of women lie face down on Ft Lauderdale Beach on March 14 as spring break season gets underway

Ft Lauderdale Beach is a popular spring break destination on the Atlantic coast of Florida

Spring breakers congregate at parties set up on Ft Lauderdale Beach on March 14

A fatigued spring breaker lies down on a bench on Ft Lauderdale Beach on March 14

A ramped up police presence was also noticeable along the beach. Officers on bicycles, buggies and marked SUVs were seen patrolling the area

The travel advisories and controversy surrounding travel in Mexico come as the dangers facing Americans in Mexico received increased attention. Notably, earlier this month a group four were kidnapped by a drug cartel in a saga that left two of the victims dead.

‘Drug cartel violence and other criminal activity represent a significant safety threat to anyone who crosses into Mexico right now,’ said Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said in a statement issued Friday. 

‘We have a duty to inform the public about safety, travel risks and threats. Based on the volatile nature of cartel activity and the violence we are seeing there, we are urging individuals to avoid travel to Mexico at this time.’

Latavia McGee, Shaeed Woodward, Eric James and Zindell Brown were snatched on March 3 after driving from South Carolina to Mexico to receive cosmetic procedures.

Footage showed them being thrown into the back of a pickup truck in broad daylight in the northeast Mexico city of Matamoros.

After a massive manhunt and national news coverage, the group were found on March 7 in a shed about six miles from where they were taken.

Ft Lauderdale motorcycle police were seen up and down the beach on March 14

A spring breaker poses against a tree as her friends capture photographs

Spring breakers scattered across the Ft Lauderdale beach on March 14

When rescued – McGee was seen barefoot and covered in dirt – her trauma evident on her face. She survived the ordeal with Williams who was shot in the left leg, according to Mexican officials. The others did not survive. Brown and Woodard had both been killed by the time they were found.

Mexican officials said they believe the incident could have been a case of ‘mistaken identity’ and could be connected to the notorious ‘Gulf Cartel’ who are prominent in the region.

Robert Almonte, a former US Marshal for the Western District of Texas and retired deputy chief with the El Paso Police Department, told DailyMail.com last week that Americans should consider boycotting all travel to Mexico because its government is not interested in curbing violence.

‘The bottom line is when someone makes the decision to go to Mexico for any reason, you’re basically risking your life. It’s just a dangerous place to be,’ he said.

‘I tell people don’t go to Mexico. I am advocating a boycott of Mexico. I am telling people do not go to Mexico. Do not go to the resorts. Let’s send a message to the Mexican government that they need to get a handle on this situation.

‘Right now they don’t care because it’s business as usual. It seems like we don’t care, we’re ignoring the situation.’