Foreign exchange income from international visitors in Mexico has reached 20.483 billion dollars from January to September (€18.847M), 54.1% more than last year and 10.3% above pre-pandemic figures, according to data provided by the Secretary of Tourism, Miguel Torruco Marqués.
The International Travelers Survey published by INEGI confirms that in the first nine months of the year, 27.54 million international tourists and 46.9 million international visitors arrived in Mexico, which translates into an increase of 22.4% and 19.3% over 2021. The figures also exceed those for 2019: 32.8 million and 71.39 million, respectively.
Between January and September 2019, before the pandemic, international tourism had brought in US$18.572 billion (€17.996 M), confirming that Mexico has entered the path of revenue growth.
The National Tourism Business Council (CNET), together with the Anáhuac Center for Tourism Research and Competitiveness (CICOTUR), presented the “Panorama of Tourism Activity in Mexico”, with information from this year’s second four-month period.
The United States maintains first place in the top ten air travel markets to Mexico, noting that 1 out of every 4 travelling Americans choose Mexico as a destination. In second place is Canada, followed by Colombia.
The most visited destinations are the Mexican Caribbean, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta, leaving an enormous opportunity to promote other destinations in the country. Among the most outstanding attractions in Mexico is Chichen Itza, a complex of Mayan ruins located in the centre of the northern half of the Yucatan Peninsula, which was voted among the New 7 Wonders of the World.
Headed by Braulio Arsuaga, president of CNET, and Francisco Madrid, director of CICOTUR, in a comparative with 2019, the analysis points to a growth in Tourism GDP of 0.2%. This sector remained positive and its results are above Mexico’s trade, oil and manufacturing balance.
“The results demonstrate the hard work of all those involved in Mexico’s tourism and the union of the private sector; we applaud the good results and recognize the progress that has been made for the recovery of our industry. It is necessary to continue working together and seek to make tourism a priority, promote more destinations and work on the problem of insecurity,” said Arsuaga.