The Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Miguel Torruco Marqués, announced with data from INEGI and the Secretariat of the Navy that in the first quarter of 2024, 3 million 885 thousand passengers on cruise ships arrived at the different ports of Mexico, which represents an increase of 2.2% compared to the same period last year. In addition, the arrival of 1,200 cruises was recorded.
It should be remembered that in addition to the beautiful beaches and their rich history. In Yucatan, there is one of the favorite places of visitors: Chichén Itza, one of the main archaeological sites of the Mayan culture, which since 2007 has been part of the New 7 Wonders of the World.
The head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) reported that the arrival of cruise hikers to Mexico, the first four months of the year, represented a foreign exchange income of 325.8 million dollars, this is 6.2% more compared to the first quarter of 2023.
He indicated that, in the first quarter of the year, the average expenditure of hikers on cruise ships was $83.9, exceeding by 3.9% than recorded in the same period of 2023, which was $80.7.
The ports that received the highest number of cruise passengers in Mexico from January to April of this year were: Cozumel and Mahahual, in Quintana Roo; Ensenada, Baja California; Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur; and Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco; which accounted for 90% of the total number of passengers.
In the first four months of 2024, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, registered 520 arrivals, and one million,818,838 passengers; which represents an increase of 14.2% more passengers and 5.5% more vessels compared to last year.
Mahahual, Quintana Roo, reported 207 arrivals, with 844,87 cruise passengers, this means 15.6% more boats, and represents 35.6% more passengers than in the first quarter of 2023.
From January to April 2024, Ensenada, Baja California, recorded the arrival of 93 cruise ships, in which 281,7 passengers arrived; while, in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 83 boats arrived with a total of 257,69 passengers.
In the first quarter of the year, 78 cruise ships and 238,471 passengers arrived in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.
Torruco Marqués emphasized the increase not only in the number of cruise passengers, but also in the currencies captured and in the average expenditure of cruise hikers who arrive at the ports of Mexico, since this is how the tourist potential of a nation is measured, which translates into the benefit of the local population.