Tourism in Mexico increases during the Pride Month, especially for the LGBT tourists who, according to the Ministry of Tourism, spend more money than heterosexual travelers.
The LGBT community accounts for a large turnover in Mexico’s tourism, which has a positive impact on the country’s economy. For this reason, the Secretary of Tourism (SECTUR) has been promoting inclusion in many destinations, making sure that vacation places welcome both heterosexuals as well as members of the LGBT community.
In June, which is the Pride Month, brands, public institutions and countries add rainbows to show their support and recognition of the LGBTQ+ community. Thanks to these changes, people of this community have been showing greater interest and even tend to consume more.
According to data published by SECTUR, a foreign LGBT tourist in Mexico spends on average US$1,700. Meanwhile, a heterosexual traveler spends $780 at most; so the difference is considerable.
In 2017, statistics showed that the products and services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people represented a market of USD 6.5 billion for Mexican companies in Mexico according to Forbes. In the tourism market alone, this market contributed USD 1.4 billion to the country budget in that year.
On average, 2.5 million LGBT travelers visit Mexico, so SECTUR is looking to develop plans to increase the country’s inclusive tourism offer.
Among the Mexican destinations with greater inclusion and those most visited by LGBT travelers are: Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Acapulco, Guerrero, San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, and the Riviera Maya in Quintana Roo. Visitors can find hotels, bars, nightclubs and restaurants dedicated to the LGBT community, in addition to areas with high demand for entertainment, especially during the Pride Month.