Mexico City, Mexico – The Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico, Miguel Torruco Marqués, has announced a significant influx of tourists in the first five months of 2024. According to data from DataTur, 34.3 million tourists were recorded in hotel rooms across the country from January to May, comprising 24.5 million national tourists and 9.8 million international visitors. This data highlights that national tourists made up 71.4% of the total, while foreigners accounted for 28.6%.
In his announcement, Torruco Marqués detailed that urban destinations received 19.6 million tourists, whereas beach resorts attracted 14.7 million. This distribution underscores the diverse appeal of Mexico’s tourism offerings, from its vibrant cities to its picturesque coastal areas.
Hotel occupancy rates remained stable, with an overall occupancy of 60.3% in the 70 monitored destinations, mirroring the same percentage from the previous year. Specifically, urban areas saw a slight increase in occupancy, reaching 52.6%, up by 0.9 percentage points from the same period in 2023. Beach resorts, on the other hand, achieved an occupancy rate of 68.9%.
Torruco Marqués highlighted several tourist centers that stood out for their high occupancy rates. Leading the list was Playacar with 91%, followed by Akumal at 83.9%, Nuevo Nayarit at 81.8%, Cabo San Lucas at 79.6%, Cancún at 78.2%, and Playa del Carmen at 77.4%. These destinations have become hotspots for both domestic and international tourists, offering a range of attractions and amenities.
The report also noted an increase in the number of available hotel rooms. From January to May 2024, the average number of available rooms reached 437,466, a 0.4% increase from the previous year. Beach resorts saw an average of 207,204 available rooms, slightly up from 207,114 in 2023. Urban destinations recorded 230,262 available rooms, reflecting a growth of 0.6%.
Occupancy of hotel rooms also showed positive trends. On average, 263,908 rooms were occupied during the first five months of 2024, marking a 0.3% increase from the same period last year. Beach resorts reported an average of 142,828 occupied rooms, while urban destinations saw 121,080 occupied rooms, a significant 2.4% increase compared to 2023.
Torruco Marqués emphasized the critical role of the hotel industry in Mexico’s tourism sector. He pointed out the expansion of the country’s hotel infrastructure, with 87,000 new hotel rooms added from 2019 to 2023, bringing the total to 895,000 rooms. This expansion solidifies Mexico’s position as the seventh largest globally in terms of hotel infrastructure. This growth is aligned with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s vision of using tourism as a tool for social reconciliation, generating substantial economic benefits and enhancing the well-being of local communities.
