Mexican coasts that revive tourism and captivate 25% of travellers.

Despite the challenges faced by the tourism sector during the current administration, Mexico has consolidated its position in the international travel market, particularly among US tourists.

According to the report by the Center for Advanced Research in Sustainable Tourism, in the first quarter of 2024, Mexico reached a market share of 24.6%, surpassing pre-COVID-19 levels. Before the pandemic, the country had a share of 20.6%.

This increase is mainly attributed to three strategic coastal destinations: Cancun in Quintana Roo, Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco and Los Cabos in Baja California Sur, as pointed out by Francisco Madrid, director of Starc of the Anahuac University, and Jorge Hernandez, president of the Mexican Federation of Tourism Associations (Fematur).

These destinations have maintained a steady growth in the arrival of US tourists, in addition to having a constantly developing infrastructure. According to Madrid, Cancun adds a number of rooms equivalent to the total number of rooms in Huatulco each year, which generates significant benefits.

Hernandez noted that another key factor in increasing market share in the US market is Mexico's position in the all-inclusive segment, offering a wide variety of hotel options at more affordable prices than other international destinations.

Geographical proximity and flight accessibility also play a crucial role in the choice of Mexico as a holiday destination for Americans, Hernández stressed.

However, despite this progress, there is a risk that Mexico could lose ground in the US market in the coming months. This is due to the absence of a public body dedicated to tourism promotion during the current administrative period, as well as the security problems that affect all tourist destinations, according to Madrid and Hernández.

These factors are closely interrelated, Hernandez explained, as the lack of a public tourism promotion entity also limits actions to address situations of violence, such as the recent murder of surfers in Baja California.