A series of snafus on the VisitMexico.com web site that included mistranslating Tulum into “jumpsuit” and Acapulco into “I Blame” has prompted howls of hilarity – and outrage – in the country and left tourism officials red-faced.
Even former Mexican president Felipe Calderón took the tourism site to task, tweeting, “Stop making Mexico looking ridiculous.”
The situation came to light late last week when the English language version of the country’s tourism website appeared with a number of mistranslations, turning entire states like Hidalgo and Guerrero into “Noble” and “Warrior.”
Worse for the VisitMexico.com site, there was systematic and inexplicable re-invention of the names of some fairly well-known tourist towns. The Caribbean resort of Tulum somehow became “Jumpsuit” and the nearby lagoon of Bacalar, on the Caribbean coast, was switched to the Gulf coast state of Tabasco.
The Pacific coast resort of Puerto Escondido became “Hidden Port,” a literal translation, and the northern city of Torreon became “Turret,” which is kind of close.
However, some name changes were just inexplicable and appeared to have as much to do with invention as simple translation. The northern Gulf coast city of Ciudad Madero became “Log.”
Mexico’s Tourism Department issued a statement apologizing for the apparently out-sourced errors, but then made it sound like something sinister had been involved.
“The Tourism Department expresses its most sincere apologies to the public and users for the effects that have occurred on the website VisitMexico,” the statement said. “Moreover, we make it known that these acts aim to damage the image of the website and the department, and so therefore a criminal complaint has been filed and appropriate legal actions will be taken against those responsible.”
The department did not explain that claim, but local media reported the dispute might involve a web services supplier angry about not being paid.
Mexico’s bad week for tourism promotion had started even earlier when an uproar forced officials in Acapulco to take down a pair of video ads touting the faded resort’s reputation as a nightclubbing spot — despite the fact nightclubs are currently closed to enforce social distancing.
The “anything goes” tourism ads showed people partying without masks and the words “there are no rules,” ultimately prompting a lightbulb moment that the ads weren’t appropriate during the coronavirus pandemic.
The snafu came one day after the US State Department cited the high number of COVID-19 cases in Mexico for issuing a “do not travel” advisory for the country, its highest level of warning.