From January to October, the number of foreign tourists to popular Mexican destinations like Cancun and Los Cabos has declined. These major Mexican beaches have lost their appeal to international tourists just a few weeks before the winter vacation period.
In recent months, the airports in Cancun, Los Cabos, and Puerto Vallarta have reported a decrease in foreign tourist arrivals.
According to INEGI (Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography), foreign air tourism dropped by 3.6 percent annually in July. This decline continued in August with a 6.2 percent decrease and worsened further in September, falling by 6.4 percent.
Francisco Madrid, director of STARC (the Center for Advanced Research in Sustainable Tourism), reported that between January and October, the airports in Cancun and Los Cabos experienced a nearly three percent annual decrease in foreign tourist arrivals.
According to Madrid, this decline in international visitors can be attributed to various factors. These include the insufficient promotion of Mexico abroad, which has led to other markets capturing a larger share of tourism and rising insecurity in certain regions. A restrictive visa policy also affects South American countries, particularly Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.
He also mentioned that the departure of some Volaris flights, primarily due to engine inspections, has further limited the availability of seats, impacting both local and international travel.
Experts predict that this trend of declining international passenger movement at beach airports and throughout the country will persist at the end of the year.
Cancun is the primary destination for foreign tourists arriving by air in Mexico, second only to Mexico City International Airport (AICM).
Los Cabos is the second most popular sun and beach destination for foreign visitors, followed by Puerto Vallarta. The three airports serving these vacation spots account for over 95 percent of international travelers who arrive by air at Mexican beaches.
In contrast to the international tourism that arrives in Mexico, the number of Mexicans traveling abroad has increased, even with the dollar appreciating against the peso.
According to the latest data from INEGI, 5.4 million Mexicans journeyed to destinations outside the country between January and September.
This figure is not only 19.5 percent higher than the number recorded in the same period of 2023, but it also surpasses the 4.3 million nationals who traveled abroad between January and September 2019, before the pandemic's impact.