Mexico’s tourism industry has been experiencing a remarkable growth trajectory, solidifying its position as one of the world’s most vibrant and diverse travel destinations.
The Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Miguel Torruco Marqués, announced that the income of foreign currency from international visitors broke a new historical record by registering 30,809 million dollars in 2023, which represents a increase of 10% compared to 2022, and 25.4% more than the 24,573.2 million dollars raised in 2019, the year before the pandemic.
The head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) stressed that, based on the results of the International Traveler Survey published by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), in 2023, 42 million 153 thousand international tourists visited Mexico. This is 10% more than those who arrived in 2022.
He indicated that the foreign exchange income from international tourists last year was 28,683 million dollars, which represents 8.9% more compared to 2022; and also exceeding by 28.3% what was registered in 2019, which was 22,354 million dollars.
From January to December 2023, 22,830,000 international tourists arrived in Mexico by air, 7% more than the international tourists who arrived in 2022, and 16.3% more than the arrivals in 2019. The income of foreign currency from international tourists by air in January-December 2023 had an increase of 9% compared to 2022, registering 25,705 million dollars, which also represents an increase of 30.7% compared to 2022. the 19,662 million dollars raised in 2019. The average expenditure of international tourists by air in 2023 was 1,126 dollars, this is an increase of 1.8% compared to the average expenditure of 2022, and also exceeding 12.4% what was recorded in this area in 2019.
In 2023, 9 million 78 thousand cruise passengers arrived at the different ports of the country, exceeding the arrivals of 2019 by 1.7%. Foreign exchange income from excursionists on cruises from January to December 2023 amounted to 742.3 million dollars, which represents an increase of 18.6% to the amount captured in 2019.
The balance of payments from international visitors in 2023 also improved, reaching $21,549 million. This is a 2.8% increase from 2022 and a remarkable 46.7% rise from 2019.
Torruco Marqués highlighted these achievements as indicators of Mexico’s strong tourist potential. The government’s focus on boosting these metrics aligns with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador‘s vision of using tourism as a tool for social reconciliation.
Looking ahead to 2024, projections are optimistic, with expected earnings of $31,141 million from international visitors. The forecast also includes an anticipated average expenditure of $1,155.1 by air travelers and a continued increase in cruise ship arrivals.
These record-breaking figures affirm the success of Mexico’s tourism policies under President López Obrador, showcasing the sector’s vital role in the nation’s economic and social fabric.
