Cozumel Leads Mexico Cruise Tourism with 4.7 Million Passengers

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — During 2025, Cozumel solidified its position as Mexico’s primary cruise passenger port, recording the arrival of 4,725,235 international tourists. This figure represented 42% of the total passengers who disembarked at the country’s maritime terminals throughout the year.

The destination located in Quintana Roo led significantly over other ports such as Mahahual, also in the same state, which captured 2,379,422 passengers, and Ensenada, in Baja California, which received 1,344,684 travelers. According to data from the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar), the total arrival of cruise passengers to Mexico exceeded 11,176,828, representing a 12% increase compared to 2024 records.

Cozumel and Mahahual, both in the Mexican Caribbean, concentrate two-thirds of the total cruise passengers in the country, reinforcing Quintana Roo’s position as the national leader in maritime tourism. The state captured 63% of all passengers arriving aboard international tourist vessels, followed by Baja California with 12% and Baja California Sur with 11%.

Ports located in the Gulf of Mexico, such as Tampico, Veracruz, Dos Bocas, and Seybaplaya, did not receive any cruise ships during the year. In contrast, Pacific destinations like Guaymas, Topolobampo, and Zihuatanejo returned to feature among cruise company routes after years of absence.

Despite the implementation of the Non-Resident Fee (DNR), a new tax applied since July 1, 2025, cruise arrivals maintained an upward trend. The DNR establishes an initial charge of $5 per passenger, which will progressively increase to reach $21 by 2028. This tax is collected by the National Migration Institute and channeled to tourism and migration infrastructure projects under the responsibility of the Secretariat of National Defense.

The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association expressed concern about the economic impact of this charge; however, 2025 data indicate that visitor flow was not negatively affected. According to the Secretariat of Tourism, the progressive charging scheme allowed addressing the concerns of the business sector and maintaining the competitiveness of Mexican destinations.

Baja California Sur, with terminals in San Carlos, Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Pichilingue, Puerto Escondido, Loreto, and Santa Rosalía, collectively received over 1.2 million tourists. This figure reinforces its position as one of the main receivers of cruise tourism in the Pacific.