Mexico’s tourism: US $18.6B H1 2025

In the first half of 2025, Mexico’s tourism industry entered a period of rapid growth. According to a report by Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez, the number of tourists reached 23.4 million, a year-on-year increase of 7.3%, and tourist spending rose by 6.3% to an impressive US $18.681 billion, demonstrating strong industrial vitality.

The Mexican government is promoting the upgrading of the tourism industry through a series of initiatives. Among them, the community tourism program, led by indigenous communities, not only promotes diverse cultures and biocultural heritage but also supports sustainable tourism development, strengthening the community’s sense of ownership and belonging. Meanwhile, Mexico and the United States continue to improve air travel conditions, arranging a total of 4.6 million regular flight seats in H1 2025, a year-on-year increase of 5.5%, with passenger traffic growing at ten major airports including Mexico City and Cancun.

As the world’s seventh-largest tourist destination, Mexico’s core competitiveness combines cultural depth and natural advantages. Cultural heritage sites such as Maya and Aztec civilizations contribute a quarter of the country’s tourism foreign exchange income, while over 10,000 kilometers of coastline makes coastal tourism another major feature, with diverse tourism projects such as vacation, adventure, and ecotourism emerging one after another.

China-Mexico tourism cooperation has also ushered in new opportunities. On July 16, Chinese Ambassador to Mexico Chen Daojiang met with Tourism Minister Rodríguez, and both sides agreed that as ancient civilizations and major tourist countries, the two nations have enormous cooperation potential. Currently, China has become Mexico’s ninth-largest source of tourists, and the 2026 World Cup will further boost the upsurge of Chinese tourists visiting Mexico.

For Chinese enterprises, Mexico’s tourism market holds broad opportunities. The local demand for tourism supplies is strong but domestic supply is insufficient. Chinese enterprises can leverage their advantages of a complete industrial chain and stable supply chain to focus on areas such as hotel supplies, outdoor sports equipment, amusement facilities, comprehensive tourism services, and digital marketing, seizing the opportunity of the World Cup to achieve win-win development.

As a “strategic pivot in the Americas,” Mexico’s sustained tourism growth has built a solid bridge for China-Mexico cooperation. With increased policy support and upgraded market demand, Chinese enterprises are expected to explore new horizons and achieve sustainable growth in this vibrant land.