Mexico welcomed more international tourists in March this year compared to the same month of 2025, according to the latest data by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).
In its report, INEGI said that Mexico received 9.3 million international visitors in March, representing an increase of 11.9% compared to March last year, when the country welcomed 8.3 million travelers.
Out of the total number of international visitors, 4.4 million entered as international tourists, meaning they stayed at least one night in Mexico. This figure also increased by 7.1% compared to last year’s numbers.
INEGI also revealed that the main exporters of international tourists to Mexico continue to be the United States, followed by Canada and various countries of South America.
This rise in international arrivals during March is noteworthy considering the violent events that followed the killing of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes on Feb. 22 in Jalisco. The security operation and its fallout prompted widespread travel cancellations, a decrease in hotel occupancy and estimated losses amounting to millions of dollars, particularly in area tourism destinations like Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.
Hundreds of flights to and from Mexico canceled following death of cartel leader ‘El Mencho’
However, the INEGI data reveals that the tourism industry as a whole has remained strong, with other parts of the country not only compensating for the drop but also pulling the figure upwards, thanks to an international demand that has been growing strongly since 2022.
One of the fastest-growing segments that contributed to the upward trend was border tourism, which increased by 33.9% annually, rising from 1.4 million to 1.9 million visitors. The cruise ship industry also contributed, with a 14.9% year-over-year increase in cruise ship passengers.
Oaxaca and Chiapas emerge as cruise destinations
According to Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, cruise tourism to Mexico brought in 3.6 million visitors between January and March, increasing by 9.9% compared to the first quarter of 2025.
Rodríguez also added that the number of cruise ship arrivals grew during the first quarter, with Mexico recording 1,080 cruise ship arrivals, representing a 4.8% increase compared to the previous year.
The destinations that saw the largest growth include Huatulco, Oaxaca, which doubled the number of arrivals by registering 12 cruise ships and 20,045 passengers during the first three months of the year, followed by Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, with 117 cruise ship arrivals and 428,799 passengers, and Puerto Chiapas, Chiapas, with seven arrivals and 12,663 passengers.
Despite the increase in international arrivals, total tourist spending in March was down 3.4%, declining from US $3.6 billion to $3.5 billion. Average spending per visitor also fell 13.7% year-on-year to $378.1.
With reports from La Silla Rota
