Mexico received 59.7 million international visitors during the first seven months of 2026, who spent $21.743 billion, figures that consolidate tourism as one of the country’s main economic engines.
Presenting the sector’s results nearly two years after the start of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez Zamora reported that visitor arrivals increased 7 percent compared with the same period in 2025.
Between January and July, 28.9 million international tourists entered the country—that is, travelers who spent at least one night in Mexico—representing an annual increase of 4.5 percent.
The cruise industry also posted considerable growth, with 7.4 million passengers and an economic impact of $649 million, increases of 13.6 and 17.3 percent, respectively.
Speaking from Villahermosa, Tabasco, Rodríguez Zamora said Mexico is experiencing a historic moment in tourism, not only because of the number of travelers but also due to expanded connectivity, market diversification and employment growth.
The sector employed 5.07 million people during the second quarter of 2026, equivalent to 9.3 percent of the country’s workforce. Women held 54 percent of those jobs, the highest participation ever recorded in the tourism industry.
Mexico also made gains in markets beyond its traditional sources of visitors. Arrivals from Brazil increased 29 percent; those from Japan, 15 percent; and those from Canada, 7 percent.
Air connectivity expanded with 140 new routes, including 76 domestic and 64 international routes. Between June and August alone, 54 new connections began operating, while the state-owned airline Mexicana increased its routes from 13 to 19.
As part of its international promotional efforts, Mexico participated in 25 fairs and roadshows across three continents, drawing more than one million attendees, generating 14,000 business meetings and featuring 500 Mexican exhibitors. The first International Tourism Fair held in China also brought together more than 400 tour operators.
The federal government seeks to ensure that this growth extends beyond major destinations and generates income in rural and Indigenous communities. To that end, 943 community tourism distinctions have been awarded, and a national guide featuring 286 experiences across 15 states has been created.
Fonatur is also working to strengthen Pueblos Mancomunados in Oaxaca, Maya Ka’an in Quintana Roo and Camino del Mayab in Yucatán, while the Michoacán Plan includes 84 community projects in 22 municipalities and an investment of 300 million pesos.
Infrastructure projects, the restoration of public spaces and improvements to beach access are underway in Acapulco. In Tulum, the federal strategy includes destination
management, the professionalization of tourism service providers and the restoration of connectivity through five international routes.
The Maya Train transported more than 98,000 international passengers, and seven hotels in the Mundo Maya region were added to digital marketing platforms, while sports tourism generated an economic impact of 1.276 billion pesos through 94 events.
The expansion was also accompanied by $1.965 billion in tourism-related foreign direct investment between October 2025 and June 2026, an amount equivalent to 6.3 percent of all foreign investment received by Mexico during that period.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, the Sheinbaum administration’s strategy seeks to harness the country’s international growth to bring jobs, investment and infrastructure to more regions under the government model known as Shared Prosperity.
Related: Sonora puts Mexico among the world’s top culinary destinations, according to National Geographic
