In November 2024, Mexico saw 13.2% more international tourists than in the same month of 2023, along with a 11% increase in tourism revenue, according to a report published Monday by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). 

According to INEGI, 7.6 million visitors entered the country in November, an increase of 20.3% compared to 2023. Of these, 3.94 million were international tourists (travelers who spent at least one night in Mexico), up from 3.48 million in the same month of the previous year. 

The primary annual increase observed was in border tourism, which saw 33.3% year-on-year growth in November, totaling 1.65 million tourists.

The number of tourists arriving by air increased by 0.9% to 1.93 million, while the remaining visitors to Mexico arrived by land or cruise ship. 

Total spending by international tourists soared by 9.8% year-on-year in November, reaching US $2.52 billion. Of this total, 93.3% came from inbound tourists — those residing abroad who visit Mexico and stay overnight — while 6.7% came from tourists who visited Mexico via the border. 

Average spending per tourist (including international, cruise and border tourists), however, fell by 7% year-on-year from US $392.42 to $362.13.   

The most recent INEGI data reveals a continued upward trend in tourism to Mexico, which received 42.15 million international tourists during 2023, 10% more than in 2022. Mexico was the sixth most visited country in the world in 2023 — after Italy (No. 5) — with 38.3 million visitors, according to data from the World Tourism Organization. It surpassed countries like Austria (10), the United Kingdom (7) and the United Arab Emirates (12). 

Final tourism figures for 2024 have yet to be announced.

Mexicans are also traveling and spending more abroad

Mexico saw more people leave the country than tourists entering Mexico in 2024. 

According to INEGI, 6.8 million residents in Mexico traveled abroad in November 2024 – a figure 43.8% higher than that of November 2023. Of these, 1.8 million were international tourists who spent at least one night abroad.

Mexican tourists’ average spending abroad also shot up 31.9% in November 2024, from $856.9 to $1,129.9. 

With reports from EFE