Between January and September, Mexico’s international tourism increased by 13.9% over the same period last year, according to the Tourism Ministry.
In that period, Mexico received 71 million visitors, of which 34.7 million were international travelers who stayed overnight, which is 6.4% higher than last year. while the number of tourists off cruise ship passengers increased by 10.6% to a total of 8 million.
“The results we are presenting today foreshadow a historic 2026 for tourism in Mexico, a year that, with the boost from the World Cup, FITUR [the International Tourism Fair in Madrid, in which Mexico will play a prominent role] and other international promotional activities, will consolidate our country as a global tourism and cultural powerhouse,” Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez Zamora said.
Official figures also revealed that during the January-September period, foreign exchange earnings from international visitors amounted to US $25.7 billion — up 6.2% compared to 2024.
Rodríguez noted that as of the third quarter of 2025 the average spending by international tourists arriving by air also increased. According to the report, these travelers spent an average of US $1,242.60, marking a 6.1% increase compared to the previous year.
Replicating the same upward trend, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) revealed that September alone saw 7.28 million travelers enter Mexico, a remarkable increase of 16% compared to the same month of 2024. Of that September total, less than half (3,203,803) were foreign residents who spent at least one night in the country, which is actually down from last September. The rest were excursionists who did not spend a night in Mexico, usually cross-border day-trippers or cruise ship passengers.
Though spending increased over the first three quarters, average spending per tourist decreased by 11.1% in September, falling from US $285 in September 2024 to $253.36 this year.
Rodríguez said she expects an important increase in October, as it marks the onset of cold weather in the United States and Canada, which typically draws more tourists to the country.
She added that this current period is one of the busiest of the year for Mexico’s tourism sector, due to increased vacation travel, favorable weather here and improved air connectivity, reinforcing Mexico’s position as one of North America’s favorite destinations.
“Tourism activity continues to grow steadily and all indications show that 2025 will close as a historic year,” Rodríguez said.
Mexico News Daily
