Cancún Draws Half of Mexico’s Air Tourists

Cancún, Mexico — Cancún has reaffirmedits status as Mexico's primary tourist destination, according to the Sectoral Tourism Program published in the nation's Official Gazette. The program's diagnostic report indicates that this tourist hub concentrates 43.8% of all international visitor arrivals by air, placing it far ahead of Mexico City (17%), Los Cabos (10.8%), and Puerto Vallarta (8.8%). This leadership, however, also reflects the inequality in the distribution of tourists across the country, as these four destinations together account for more than 80% of all arrivals.

Mexican Caribbean Boasts Largest Hotel Supply

The official document highlights that Cancún and the broader Mexican Caribbean region record the highest concentration of hotel supply and maintain the highest occupancy levels. This is compounded by its advantage in air connectivity, making it the most important entry point for international tourism in Mexico.

In 2024, Quintana Roo, alongside Baja California Sur and Nayarit, captured 75.1% of the country's Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in tourism, totaling $2,870.9 million.

The Other Side of Tourism

Although Cancún is an engine of the national economy, the diagnostic also warns of the concentration of benefits. According to the study, nearly half of Mexico's hotel room supply is located in just seven states, led by Quintana Roo.

In contrast, cities in the interior of the country have recorded hotel occupancy rates of just 47.3% so far in 2025, reflecting the need to promote other regions with tourist potential but less development.

A New Promotion Model

The Sectoral Tourism Program proposes that overcoming these inequalities requires a new promotion model. This model would involve specific public resources and public-private collaboration schemes, inspired by experiences from countries like Spain and Australia.

The six central objectives include diversifying destinations, fostering regional development, promoting investments in infrastructure, strengthening competitiveness and innovation, and guaranteeing the sustainability of tourist destinations. In this way, although Cancún remains the emblem of tourism in Mexico, the challenge is to extend that dynamism to other regions of the country.