Colombian Tourists Avoid Quintana Roo Amid Mistreatment

Cancún, Mexico — Quintana Roo is experiencing its worst decline in Colombian tourism in six years, with arrivals plummeting by 43.4% between 2022 and 2024. The downward trend has continued into 2025, dropping Colombia to the ninth-largest source market for the state—its lowest position since before the pandemic.

Hotel Industry Sounds Alarm

The hotel sector has raised concerns over the steep decline. The Association of Hotels of Cancún, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres, represented by former president Jesús Almaguer Salazar, has pointed to mistreatment of Colombian tourists during immigration checks at Cancún International Airport as a key factor.

Anna Kiseleva, vice president of the Association of Tourist Vacation Complexes, has also called for immediate action to halt the decline. She noted that in 2025, Colombia has fallen behind Argentina and Chile in the number of travelers visiting Quintana Roo.

Statistical Breakdown

According to data from the Migration Policy Office of Mexico’s Interior Ministry, Cancún International Airport welcomed 417,128 Colombian tourists in 2022—the highest figure in years, making Colombia the fourth-largest source market after the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

By the end of 2023, arrivals dropped by 19.4%, totaling 336,016 visitors. In 2024, the number fell further to 235,819, marking a 43.4% decline from 2022. Despite this, Colombia remained the fourth-largest market that year.

However, between January and May 2025, Colombian tourists accounted for just 0.8% of international visitors to Quintana Roo, dropping the country to ninth place—a stark contrast to its previous top-four ranking.

Pre-Pandemic Context

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Colombia was consistently among Quintana Roo’s leading tourism markets. The current downturn has raised concerns among industry leaders, who warn that continued mistreatment at immigration checkpoints could further damage the state’s tourism economy.