Mexico’s Tourism Industry Expects 836,000 Additional Visitors for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Mexico City — Mexico’s tourism industry expects 836,000 additional visitors during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to estimates from a Deloitte study presented by Antonio Cosio, president of the National Tourism Business Council (CNET).

The projections indicate 556,000 domestic tourists and 280,000 international visitors would generate approximately $2.1 billion in additional revenue for the tourism sector during the tournament period.

“The World Cup could consolidate additional tourist arrivals during the tournament and also serve as a catalyst for 2027, depending on the event’s outcome and subsequent promotion,” Cosio said.

Communication Strategy for Key Markets

In response to questions about Mexico’s international perception, the tourism sector announced a joint strategy with Mexico’s Tourism Secretariat and the Union of Tourism Secretaries of Mexico (ASETUR) to maintain communication with key source markets.

The strategy, developed with the firm Global Nexus, focuses primarily on the United States and Canada and includes three action lines: disseminating information about tourist destination operations, communicating with media and sector stakeholders in North America, and permanent monitoring to respond to incorrect information about the country.

The goal is to maintain information flow about airport operations, destinations, and tourist services leading up to the international tournament.

Debate Over Accommodation Platforms

During the media briefing, representatives also addressed the growth of digital temporary accommodation platforms like Airbnb.

Hotel industry representatives noted that this growth occurs with limited regulatory frameworks, raising concerns about transparency and safety protocols for visitors. They emphasized the need for regulations establishing controls similar to those for the hotel sector, particularly with the arrival of visitors for international events like the World Cup.

Goal to Climb Tourism Rankings

The tourism sector also stated that Mexico maintains the goal of advancing positions in the global ranking of international tourist arrivals.

Factors influencing this objective include tourism promotion and infrastructure for receiving visitors. In this context, Cosio indicated that currently there are no plans to reestablish the Mexican Tourism Promotion Council scheme, though promotion mechanisms through state trusts and agreements with federal entities are being explored.

Tourism Segments and Sector Challenges

Regarding expected behavior of different tourism segments during the year, visitor flow is expected to be primarily linked to the sporting event.

However, the CNET president noted interest in promoting other segments like cultural tourism to broaden visitor distribution across different destinations in the country.

Challenges identified for the tourism industry include international promotion, competition with other destinations, and security perceptions in some source markets.

Clarification on World Cup Accommodations

Addressing reports about room cancellations in World Cup host cities, Cosio explained that in Mexico City’s case, these involved previously agency-reserved rooms being unblocked and returned to available inventory.

The volume of released rooms represented between 1.3% and 1.7% of total accommodations, a percentage that forms part of normal tourism sector operations.

In other Mexican tournament host cities like Guadalajara and Monterrey, industry representatives indicated no significant movements have been reported in reserved room blocks for the event.

The tourism industry expects hotel occupancy in host cities to remain within projected estimates for the tournament.