Religious tourism has boomed in Mexico in recent years – in 2021 it accounted for an income of $20 billion pesos (US$ 1 billion).
A little more than half of that amount, $10.2 billion pesos, was accumulated during the Lenten period, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR).
These statistics placed Mexico among the top ten countries with the highest number of people interested in religious tourism.
Within this dynamic, Taxco, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende stand out as the preferred religious destinations for visitors.
According to experts, religious tourism has also become a spearhead for businesses dedicated to lodging, the restaurant industry, as well as travel agencies.
The most recent figures from the World Tourism Organization show that religious travel moves 330 million tourists each year and its economic impact is 20% of world tourism.
In Mexico, the tourism sector in general represents 8.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Although religious tourism was also impacted by the pandemic, last November, the Mexican Association of Travel Agencies (AMAV in Spanish) and Fematur estimated that thanks to the reactivation of venues such as the Basilica of Guadalupe and other related activities, this sector would achieve a recovery of over 70% compared to 2020.
