Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Cozumel welcomed more than 3.7 million cruise passengers in the first nine months of 2026, accounting for a large share of the nearly 8.9 million passengers who arrived at Mexican ports during the period, federal Tourism Department figures show.
Mexico received 8,927,844 cruise passengers between January and September, with 2,413 ship arrivals recorded at Mexican ports. Arrivals rose 11.2 percent compared with the same period in 2025, while passenger numbers grew 15 percent.
Tourism Secretary Josefina Rodríguez Zamora said the trend creates economic opportunities for host destinations, pointing to spending by visitors at shops, restaurants, transport services and tourism activities during their port calls.
Cozumel Leads the Gulf-Caribbean Region
The Gulf-Caribbean region registered 5,926,232 passengers and 1,550 arrivals, increases of 9.7 percent and 8.8 percent respectively. Cozumel stood out within the region, receiving 3,715,770 cruise passengers aboard 995 ships — gains of 11.3 percent in passengers and 9.6 percent in arrivals.
Progreso in Yucatán also posted growth, with 402,454 passengers across 125 arrivals, up 16.4 percent in visitors and 10.6 percent in ship calls year on year.
Pacific Ports Post Sharpest Gains
The Mexican Pacific recorded the largest percentage increase, with 3,001,612 passengers and 863 arrivals, equivalent to growth of 27.1 percent and 16 percent.
- Puerto Chiapas reported a 90.2 percent jump in cruise passengers.
- Mazatlán received 355,474 visitors on 96 vessels.
- Cabo San Lucas logged 995,896 passengers and 254 arrivals, up 44.4 percent and 40.3 percent.
The average number of occupants per vessel also rose, from 3,580 in 2025 to 3,700 in 2026, a 3.4 percent increase.
The figures underscore the weight of the cruise segment for port destinations and for the communities that depend on services tied to visiting passengers, with Quintana Roo retaining a leading role through Cozumel’s traffic.
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