Mexico’s 2025 Pueblos Mágicos National Fair closed with record numbers, generating 67.6 million pesos (approximately USD $3.8 million) in revenue and declaring Tampico, Tamaulipas, as the host city for the 2026 edition.
Pueblos Magicos are an official distinction bestowed on colonial era cities and towns known for their architecture and quaint historical tourist venues.
Representing Mexico’s Minister of Tourism Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, Deputy Director Nathalie Desplas Puel joined Elizabeth Quintanar Gómez, Director of Tourism of Hidalgo, in leading the closing ceremony. Over four days, the event gathered representatives from all 177 Pueblos Mágicos, along with Nicaragua as guest country of honor.
Desplas Puel welcomed the results of the fair and highlighted Hidalgo’s organizing efforts. “This event proves that unity transforms,” she said. “When communities, the tourism sector and authorities move forward together, the results are visible and deeply felt.”
The fair reported 62,941 attendees, 12,130 business meetings and participation from 385 national buyers. Officials estimate that 45% of those meetings resulted in sales, totaling 26.4 million pesos (US$1.44 million) in business agreements.
Inside the venue, food, beverages, crafts and traditional medicine vendors generated 16.7 million pesos (US$910,000), pushing total on-site purchases to 43.2 million pesos (US$2.36 million). The additional economic impact for Pachuca and surrounding municipalities reached 24.3 million pesos (US$1.32 million), with hotel occupancy hitting 100%.
Quintanar Gómez thanked artisans, traditional cooks, artists, and participants whose work defined this year’s fair. She emphasized that the event “strengthened and empowered local communities by giving them a platform to share their identity, talent and tourism orientation.”
This edition also introduced the first Innovation and Sustainability Pavilion, focused on responsible tourism, carbon-reduction initiatives, sustainable mobility, recycling and energy efficiency.
The fair featured 32 artisan pavilions—one for each Mexican state—along with a Gastronomy Pavilion, an Inclusion Pavilion spotlighting women, Indigenous communities and people with disabilities, and a full cultural program of performances, academic forums and food showcases.
During the closing ceremony, organizers officially passed the host city baton to Tamaulipas, confirming Tampico as the site of the 2026 Pueblos Mágicos Fair. Tamaulipas Director of Tourism Benjamín Hernández Rodríguez and Tampico Mayor Mónica Villarreal Anaya reaffirmed their commitment to hosting the next edition, describing it as “an invaluable opportunity to boost the destination’s exposure.”
Related: Mexico Posts Record Tourism Growth with 71 Million Visitors in the First 9 Months of 2025
Mexican Press Agency is part of ALMA, which is dedicated to news and information about Mexico and Mexicans in the United States and is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Focus, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Redwood City, California.
