At the end of 2025, Mexico recorded a historical maximum in the number of foreign visitors, confirming its status as one of the largest tourist destinations in the world. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), the country was visited by 47.7 million foreign travelers. This is a 6.1% increase from 2024 and the highest level on record.
The figure of 47.7 million takes into account all foreign travelers who have spent at least one night in Mexico. This includes arrivals by all means of transport (by plane, car, cruises, etc.) for any period of stay in the country of more than a day.
The total number of international arrivals, including day trips, reached 98.2 million, an increase of 13.6% year on year. This figure can take into account border crossings by the same traveler several times a year. However, this figure does not fully reflect actual border crossings, since vehicle crossings from the United States often do not process entries at all, and the practice of illegal crossings is widespread at the southern border.
The growth of tourist flows directly affected foreign exchange earnings:
- total revenues from international tourism amounted to 34.9 billion US dollars (+10.2% per year),
- Foreign tourist spending in Mexico reaches $31.7 billion — highest level in history
- average spending per guest of the state amounted to about $660, which is slightly lower than the previous year.
Despite the decline in the average ticket, the increase in the number of trips ensured overall growth in industry revenue.
Separately, INEGI provides statistics on foreign travelers arriving by plane. Their number in 2025 amounted to 22.8 million people, increasing by only 1.2% over the year. Key growth drivers were the expansion of air routes, increased travel from Canada and Europe, and new travel destinations outside of traditional beach resorts.
The INEGI figures expand on those from the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur). According to them, the main nationalities of tourists arriving in Mexico by air remain the United States (66% of the total number of foreigners arriving by air, almost at the same level as last year) and Canada (13.6%, +11% compared to last year), while the UK leads among Europeans (2.2%, +4.8%). In addition, in 2025 there was an increase in the number of guest countries from Italy (+13.7% compared to the previous year), Argentina (+10.8%) and China (+8.2%). Travelers from Spain, France and Germany began to visit Mexico more actively, and among Latin American countries — from Colombia, Brazil and Chile.
The 2025 record symbolizes the end of the recovery period after the 2020-2021 crisis. Tourism has not only returned to pre-pandemic levels, but has surpassed them, becoming one of the engines of Mexico's economic growth.
Beach destinations continue to be a major magnet for foreigners. But interest in cultural, gastronomic and natural tourism has noticeably increased. By region, most travelers visit the Caribbean coast: Quintana Roo (Cancun, Riviera Maya), the Pacific direction: Baja California Sur (Los Cabos), as well as cultural and historical centers — Mexico City and Guadalajara.
According to economic estimates in recent years, the contribution of tourism is equal to about 8-9% of Mexico's GDP (taking into account direct and indirect effects), making it one of the largest sources of foreign exchange earnings, an important generator of employment in the hotel business, transport, services and construction, and in addition a stimulus for regional development, especially in coastal and historical areas.