Tourism industry saw record visitors in 2014 Visitors total

There ought to be celebrations in Acapulco this week when the tourist industry gathers for its annual conference, Tianguis Turístico.

Mexico’s biggest tourism fair, which this year expects 100 foreign and 120 domestic buyers of travel-related products, follows a year in which the industry bounced back in a big way after some years of economic and security woes.


A record 29.1 million visitors arrived in 2014, an increase of 20.5% over the previous year, a big turnaround after some dismal years following the 2.5% decline recorded in 2009.

It is also significant in relation to the growth recorded during much of the last 30 years, when Mexico saw only modest increases in tourism. Its 1.1% growth during that period was shadowed by Turkey with 11.6%, Hong Kong with 8.6% and Malaysia with 7.8%, for example.

Another gratifying figure for the industry was in the estimated amount of money spent by visitors last year, a total of US $16 billion, a massive increase over annual revenues generated between 2000 and 2012, which fluctuated between $8 billion and just over $13 billion.

Last year’s numbers are expected to move Mexico into 12th place from 15th on the list of the world’s most-visited countries.

Although tourism promotion efforts have widened their geographic focus since the economic downturn of 2009, the United States continues to be the principal source of visitors. And with a stronger economy and lower fuel prices more Americans are on the way.

Their numbers were up 11.8% last year and many more are expected in 2015, particularly with the rise in the value of the dollar against the peso.