UN Tourism: Mexico consolidates its position as the second most visited destination in the Americas in 2024

Mexican Secretary of Tourism Josefina Rodríguez Zamora reported that, according to the UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer, with the arrival of 45 million tourists, Mexico ranked second among the most visited destinations in the Americas.

“Under the instructions of President Claudia Sheimbaum Pardo, we are promoting tourism as a driver of Shared Prosperity, generating well-being and opportunities in every corner of the country. The fact that Mexico welcomed 45 million international tourists in 2024, 7.4 percent more than the previous year, confirms that our country is a global tourism powerhouse,” he noted.

According to a publication by UN Tourism—the United Nations specialized agency dedicated to promoting responsible, sustainable, and accessible tourism for all—Mexico has established itself as one of the leading destinations in the region for international visitor arrivals, reflecting its strategic position and the global recognition of its cultural, natural, and culinary offerings. It ranks second only to the United States (72.4 million) and far ahead of Canada (19.9 million) and the Dominican Republic (8.5 million).

The World Tourism Barometer, a report published annually since 2003, monitors short-term tourism trends and offers up-to-date analysis of international tourism, providing governments, businesses, and academics with a clear view of recent performance and the future outlook for global tourism.

The head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) added that 86.4 million international visitors were recorded in 2024, an increase of 15.5 percent compared to 2023.

In addition, he detailed that 23.2 million inbound tourists arrived in our country by air, 1.5 percent more than in 2023 and 18 percent more compared to 2019, with an average spending of $1,167, that is, 3.6 percent more than in 2023 and 16.5 percent more than in 2019.

"These figures confirm the strength and competitiveness of Mexican tourism, as well as the trust of millions of travelers who choose our country for its safety, hospitality, and diversity of experiences. Furthermore, this leadership contributes to the well-being of local communities by generating jobs, income, and regional development," he emphasized.

The official noted that the positive trend continued during the first half of 2025, with the arrival of 23.4 million international tourists, 7.3 million more than in the same period in 2024 and 6.2 percent more than in 2019. This figure was higher than the total number of tourists Canada received in all of 2024.

He also mentioned that foreign currency inflows reached $18.68 billion, 6.3 percent more than in the same period in 2024 and 43.1 percent more than in 2019.

Rodríguez Zamora highlighted the exciting momentum for cruise ship arrivals to Mexico's various ports, as they received 5.7 million passengers in the first half of the year, representing an increase of 9.6 percent compared to 2024 and 20.8 percent compared to 2019.

Regarding hiker spending, he reported that the economic impact reached $484.2 million, equivalent to an 11.3 percent increase compared to the previous year and a 49.4 percent increase compared to the same period in 2019.

Source: SECTUR.