Tourists walk along the beach of Playa del Carmen (Credit: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images)

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico’s top tourism official says the country may be dropped from the list of the world’s top 10 tourist destinations, a spot it has held for years.

Tourism Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu hasn’t said why the drop has occurred, but there were declines in 2012 in two areas that have been affected by violence — border tourism and cruise ship stopovers.

The country has shown an overall drop in the number of international tourists arriving.

The regional director for the World Tourism Organization said Tuesday it may be less a story of Mexico losing tourists than about other countries such as Russia, Malaysia and Austria making big gains.

Despite the drop in visitors, he noted that tourism revenues to Mexico have been growing.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Also Check Out:

• Emmitt Smith Says New Safety Rule Means NFL Has “Lost Its Mind”
• Deion Sanders Divorce Drama Gets Nastier With Steroid Allegations
• Woman Defends Beating Son Caught In Homosexual Act
• Dallas Hospital Offers Free Facial Surgery For African Girl
• Good Samaritan Critically Injured Helping Driver

MOST VIEWED GALLERIES

• PHOTOS: Your Pet Pictures
• PHOTOS: 105.3 The Fan In New Orleans – Day 5
• PHOTOS: Top 10 Cars We Miss