Mexico City, Cancún and Puerto Vallarta Top Searches for Independence Day Weekend

Travelers walk through an airport terminal with rolling luggage ahead of the Mexican Independence Day holiday weekend

Mexico City — Mexico City, Cancún and Puerto Vallarta were the destinations Mexican travelers searched for most ahead of the Independence Day long weekend, according to booking data released by Booking.com.

Accommodation searches logged in the weeks before September 16 pointed to strong interest in domestic travel, spanning major cities, cultural sites and beaches on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts.

Mexico City ranked first, followed by Cancún and Puerto Vallarta. The rest of the top 10 included Guadalajara, Acapulco, Playa del Carmen, Mazatlán, Veracruz, Puerto Escondido and San Miguel de Allende.

Acapulco Posts the Largest Increase

Beyond identifying the most-searched destinations, the analysis found more interest in traveling over this long weekend than during the same period in 2025.

Acapulco recorded the sharpest rise, with 105% more searches. Puerto Escondido followed with 85% growth and Puerto Vallarta with 80%.

San Miguel de Allende, Guadalajara, Playa del Carmen and Cancún also drew increases of more than 50% in accommodation searches compared with the same period last year.

The figures indicate that Mexican travelers are keeping a diverse mix of options for the September break, pairing beach destinations with urban and historic cities.

Booking.com said the data covers accommodation searches by Mexican travelers for destinations inside Mexico, with check-in on September 15 and check-out on September 20, 2026. The analysis reviewed searches made between July 15 and August 21, 2026, and the percentages reflect the change against the same comparison period in 2025.

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By Laura Castillo

Laura Castillo covers tourism, business, and economic development across Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the wider Riviera Maya for Riviera Maya News & Events. She tracks the region's most important business stories — from hotel investments and airline route expansions to real estate market trends and local economic policy — helping English-speaking readers stay informed about the economic pulse of Mexico's Caribbean coast.Laura has been reporting on Quintana Roo's tourism sector since 2020, closely monitoring developments in Cancun's hotel zone, Tulum's rapidly growing commercial corridor, and the evolving business landscape in Playa del Carmen. Her coverage includes corporate investments, employment trends, infrastructure projects, and the economic impact of events like sargassum seasons and hurricane preparation.Before joining Riviera Maya News & Events, Laura worked in business development and market analysis in the Riviera Maya region, giving her first-hand insight into how tourism, real estate, and local commerce intersect. She is fluent in English and Spanish.For story tips: laura@rivieramayanews.mx