The Mexican Government has deployed more than 300 soldiers to the Cancun area to protect tourists following a marked rise in crime.

The armed forces will patrol tourist areas, including beaches.

Officials said they will prioritise hotspots in the northern region, including Cancun, Tulum and Riviera Maya.

They will focus on stamping out organised crime in the area, but they will also comb beaches to protect tourists from petty crime such as theft.

Seeing soldiers on the sand isn’t unusual in Meixco, however. The armed forces sent 1,500 personal to Quintana Roo in December following the murders of two female tourists.

There are now around 4,000 armed personnel throughout the Mexican Caribbean.