Puerto Vallarta, Cancún, and other popular beach destinations in Mexico have registered a worrying drop in international air travelers, setting off concerns in the tourism sector.
PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) — Is Mexico starting to feel the pain of a strengthening peso that offers less purchasing power to foreign tourists?
The famed beaches of Mexico, hotspots for international tourists, have witnessed a slowdown in recent months and a decline in air travelers from abroad. Puerto Vallarta, one of the most popular destinations, reported a 9.2 percent drop in international passengers this August compared to last year.
This pattern is evident in other destinations managed by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico. Los Cabos saw a dip of 3.7 percent, while smaller destinations like La Paz and Manzanillo also reported declines. Cancún, another heavyweight in Mexican tourism, registered a drop of 1 percent, which translates to over 17,000 fewer passengers owing to its large operation scale.
This isn’t a localized phenomenon. August marked the fifth consecutive month of declining international visitors to Mexico. In response to this trend, the Strategy Business Group, in its Gemes 105 Report for September, commented that several Mexican destinations “should already have their alarms set.” They further emphasized that the second half of the year has kicked off with significant challenges for the Mexican tourism sector, especially concerning international tourism.
Data from the Migration Policy Unit shows that Mexico welcomed 1.7 million international visitors by air in July, a decrease of 8.7% from July last year. This means 163.3 thousand fewer international visitors entered Mexico.
The number of air travelers from the United States, Mexico’s largest foreign tourist market, has dwindled over recent months. However, the drop from other significant markets is even more pronounced. Statistics for July show 1.2 million US residents and 486.1 thousand visitors from other parts of the world, indicating year-on-year reductions of 8.5% and 9.3%, respectively.
Only 28.4% of July’s international air arrivals came from countries other than the U.S, a slight drop from July last year’s 28.5% and a substantial decline from 34.1% in July 2019.
The numbers reveal an 8.1% year-on-year drop in arrivals from other North American countries in July, marking the fifth consecutive monthly decline. Moreover, European and South American visitors have seen reductions for four months, at 10.8% and 21%, respectively.
In a silver lining, there was a 12.3% increase in arrivals from Central American and Caribbean countries and an 8.9% increase from Asian countries in July, according to the consultancy.
The persistent decline in international air travelers to Mexico’s beach destinations raises concerns for its tourism sector, and stakeholders will need to take decisive actions to address and reverse this trend.