Recent data show a decrease in foreign arrivals to Mexican tourist destinations Cancun
(Caribbean coast), Los Cabos (south end of Baja California peninsula) and Puerto Vallarta (Pacific coast).
From Travel and Tour World: “Mexico’s airports in Cancun, Los Cabos, and Puerto Vallarta have seen a decline in foreign tourist arrivals in recent months. Data from the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) shows that foreign air tourism fell by 3.6 percent in July compared to the previous year. This downward trend persisted in August with a 6.2 percent drop and worsened in September, showing a 6.4 percent decrease.“
Here’s a map showing the location of these three destinations:
I’m currently somewhere in Mexico, having flown here this time.
Back to the article: “Between January and October, Cancun and Los Cabos airports experienced an annual decline of nearly three percent in international visitor numbers. Various factors are believed to contribute to this decline. A lack of sufficient promotion of Mexico as a travel destination abroad has allowed other markets to capture a larger share of global tourism. Additionally, rising insecurity in certain regions and a restrictive visa policy affecting countries such as Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru have played a role.“
“The reduction in available flights, particularly due to the suspension of some routes by an airline for engine inspections, has also impacted both domestic and international travel. This limitation on flight options has further contributed to the downturn in tourism.”
“Experts predict that the decrease in international passengers at beach destinations and across the country will continue through the end of the year.”
How important are these three resorts in the Mexican tourist industry? Very important.
“Cancun remains the top destination for foreign air travelers in Mexico,second only to Mexico City International Airport. Los Cabos ranks as the second most popular beach destination, followed by Puerto Vallarta. These three airports collectively account for over 95 percent of international air arrivals at Mexico’s beach resorts.”
Additionally, the number of Mexicans traveling outside Mexico has increased: “Meanwhile, the number of Mexican citizens traveling abroad has increased, despite the strong performance of the U.S. dollar against the peso. According to recent INEGI data, 5.4 million Mexicans traveled abroad between January and September 2024. This represents a 19.5 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023, surpassing the 4.3 million travelers from the same period in 2019, prior to the pandemic.”
the advent of Trump is having amazing effects it seems.