Mexico's English-language tourism website hilariously mistranslated the country's most popular spots, the latest of several embarrassing gaffes
Advertisement
Bill Bostock
Aug 8, 2020, 19:01 IST
A screengrab of the VisitMexico.com website advertising the resort of Tulum, which was mistranslated to "Jumpsuit" on Friday.VisitMexico
Mexico's official tourism website was ridiculed on Friday after it was revealed to be riddled with hilarious auto-translate errors.
On VisitMexico.com, the resort of Tulum became "Jumpsuit," the town of Aculco became "I Blame," and the city of Ciudad Madero became "Log."
The Tourism Department apologized, but hinted that it may have been sabotage, saying "a criminal complaint has been filed and appropriate legal actions will be taken against those responsible."
On Thursday, the resort of Acapulco removed a promotional video that showed people partying without masks on with the slogans "anything goes" and "there are no rules," The Associated Press (AP) said.
In a classic of the auto-translate glitch genre, Mexico's official tourism website hilariously mistranslated the country's most popular spots from Spanish to English on Friday.
On VisitMexico.com, the upmarket beachside resort of Tulum became "Jumpsuit," the area of Aculco became "I Blame," and the city of Ciudad Madero became "Log."
On Thursday, the resort of Acapulco hastily removed a promotional video that showed people partying without masks on with the slogans "anything goes" and "there are no rules," according to The Associated Press (AP.)
The same day, the US — the country worst hit by the pandemic — imposed its highest travel warning on Mexico, in light of the surge in coronavirus cases, issuing a "do not travel" notice to Americans on Thursday.
The department apologized for the string of mistranslations, in a statement.
Advertisement
"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, carried by the AP, said.
The department then suggested that the glitches could have been done intentionally.
"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."
{{}}
NewsletterSIMPLY PUT - where we join the dots to inform and inspire you. Sign up for a weekly brief collating many news items into one untangled thought delivered straight to your mailbox.