MEXICO CITY — Mexico is taking a rare opportunity to tweak neighboring Texas, saying the number of U.S. spring breakers visiting Mexico this year rose 7.2 percent despite a travel warning issued by the U.S. state.

Mexico’s Tourism Department notes with some satisfaction that tourists arriving during March included some highly regarded Texans — the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. They agency says they did a calendar shoot on Mexico’s Caribbean coast.

A Tuesday announcement from the department says 77,000 young tourists visited Mexico on spring break trips between March 5 and 30.

In early March, the Texas Department of Public Safety advised students on spring break to avoid Mexico, citing violence.

Overall, the number of U.S. tourists visiting Mexico in March totaled 382,376, young and old. That is a 7.3 percent increase from 2011.

Printed on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 as: Despite very serious warnings, Mexico still hit by Spring Break