Photo: Yucatán Magazine
Mexico is entering 2026 on the strength of a record-breaking tourism performance that has cemented the country’s position as the sixth most visited nation on the planet. The numbers tell a compelling story: between January and October 2025, the country welcomed 79.3 million international visitors, a 13.6% jump over the same period the previous year. Those travelers pumped US $28.2 billion into the Mexican economy, representing a 6.5% increase in foreign exchange earnings. With a surge of new airline routes launching in early 2026, hotel occupancy rates climbing toward 80% in key resort destinations like the Riviera Maya and the FIFA World Cup set to draw an additional 5.5 million visitors between June and July, the momentum shows no signs of slowing.
Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez Zamora summed up the sentiment at a recent press conference alongside President Claudia Sheinbaum: “Mexico is in fashion.” The data supports that assessment. October 2025 shattered previous records with 8.3 million international visitors arriving in a single month, generating US $2.44 billion in spending, a 9.3% year-over-year increase. The ministry attributed the performance to a combination of expanded air connectivity, cultural pride, and what officials described as growing international confidence in the country’s stability.
The growth has been remarkably broad-based. While American visitors remain the largest segment at 67.3% of total arrivals, the real acceleration came from other markets. Italian arrivals climbed 14.8% through October, followed by Argentina at 14.3%, South Korea at 11.6%, Canada at 11.4%, and China at 10.6%. Even U.S. arrivals, already at substantial levels, managed a 0.6% increase. Cruise tourism contributed 8.9 million passengers to Mexican ports in the first ten months of 2025, an 11% gain over the prior year, with Cozumel and Mahahual serving as primary gateways for ships operated by lines including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Disney Cruise Line.
Cultural tourism emerged as a significant driver of growth. Museum visits across the country increased 17.3%, while attendance at archaeological sites rose 2.1%. The Maya Train, the government’s flagship rail project connecting destinations across the Yucatán Peninsula, transported more than 75,000 foreign passengers through October, a 181% increase compared to earlier periods. The train links major sites including Chichén Itzá, Tulum, and Palenque, offering travelers an alternative to the bus transfers that have traditionally dominated the region’s ground transportation.
New Air Routes Connect Three Continents
The airline industry has responded to Mexico’s tourism momentum with an aggressive expansion of service.Cancún International Airport alone will gain 17 new international routes launching through June 2026. Of these, 11 connect to cities in the United States operated by carriers, including American Airlines (Oklahoma City launching December 2025), Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines (Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham in spring 2026), and Breeze Airways (Charleston, Norfolk, New Orleans, and Providence beginning January 2026).
Five Canadian routes will launch with carriers including WestJet and Porter Airlines. Perhaps most significant for European travelers, Aer Lingus will inaugurate service from Dublin on January 6, 2026, marking the first direct connection between Ireland and Mexico. “The transformation is moving forward,” said Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama in announcing the new routes.
Aeroméxico, the country’s flag carrier, is preparing for the World Cup with the addition of 29 aircraft to its fleet in 2025, with 20 of those directly tied to tournament preparations. The airline will expand its European network in early 2026 with direct flights from Mexico City to Barcelona launching March 28 and from Monterrey to Paris Charles de Gaulle starting April 13. These additions will increase the carrier’s transatlantic capacity by approximately 11%.
Hotel Construction Surges in Caribbean Destinations
The hotel industry has bet heavily on continued growth. According to commercial real estate firm CBRE, Cancún and the Riviera Maya accounted for 91% of all new hotel rooms opened in Mexico through May 2025, adding 2,070 rooms to the national inventory. Cancún alone contributed 1,715 rooms, with the Riviera Maya adding another 355. More than 5,000 additional rooms are under construction across the two destinations plus Los Cabos, with completion expected between 2025 and 2027.
Occupancy levels have absorbed the new supply efficiently. Cancún hotels achieved 80.6% occupancy during a mid-July 2025 survey week, with the Riviera Maya reaching 74.7% and Isla Mujeres posting 68.9%. Revenue per available room climbed roughly 12% in Cancún and 27% in the Riviera Maya through August 2025, while average daily rates increased 15% and 21% respectively. For the peak holiday period from December 20 through January 11, destinations including Cancún, Riviera Maya, Los Cabos, and Puerto Vallarta are projected to exceed 80% occupancy, with some properties reporting complete sellouts.
Puerto Vallarta has emerged as the surprise leader of the 2025-2026 holiday season. The Pacific coast destination expects more than 300,000 visitors during the peak period, with the regional economy projected to generate 2.175 billion pesos in revenue. Some hotels are approaching 95% occupancy during the busiest weeks, a performance that has outpaced traditional leaders including Cancún and Los Cabos.
World Cup Preparations Drive Infrastructure Investment
The 2026 FIFA World Cup represents the largest single event on Mexico’s tourism calendar. The country will host 13 matches across three cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. The opening match takes place at the recently renamed Estadio Banorte (formerly Estadio Azteca) on June 11, 2026. Official projections estimate the tournament will attract 5.5 million visitors and generate between US $1.8 billion and $3 billion in economic impact.
Infrastructure investments are substantial. Mexico City has announced more than 30 mobility and infrastructure projects surrounding the stadium. Monterrey is developing two new Metro lines connecting directly to Monterrey International Airport, along with a full renovation of Line 1 featuring new trains and expanded stations. The city has also committed to adding 4,000 new buses, 500 bus stops, and new pedestrian bridges in critical corridors. Guadalajara is improving the Chapala highway stretch to Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport at a cost of US $137.65 million.
The Mexican Football Federation estimates that the tournament will attract around 3 million visitors to Jalisco state alone during the tournament, on top of the state’s regular 34 million annual tourists. Local authorities project economic revenues as high as US $7 billion and approximately 40,000 temporary jobs in the Guadalajara metropolitan area.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The tourism ministry expects nearly 4.9 million tourists during the 2025-2026 year-end holiday season, a 5% increase over the previous year. Beyond the World Cup, Mexico will serve as the Guest of Honor at FITUR, the International Tourism Fair in Madrid, from January 21 to 25, 2026. For the first time, all 32 Mexican states will be represented, alongside a delegation of more than 800 tourism service providers and representatives of Indigenous communities.
In April, Acapulco will host the 50th Tianguis Turístico, the country’s largest tourism business platform. In November, Guadalajara will welcome the first edition of ITB Americas, modeled after ITB Berlin, targeting professionals in the events and conferences industry. The calendar positions Mexico for sustained international visibility throughout the year.
“The results we are presenting today foreshadow a historic 2026 for tourism in Mexico,” said Minister Rodríguez. “A year that, with the boost from the World Cup, FITUR, and other international promotional activities, will consolidate our country as a global tourism and cultural powerhouse.”