Cancún Tourism Slump: US and Canadian Visitors Choose Europe

Cancún, a popular tourist destination, has seen a significant drop in American tourists. Between June and July, the city saw a decrease of 388,000 US visitors. It's speculated that these tourists are choosing European destinations over Cancún.

The Canadian market, which is the second largest source of tourists for Cancún, also saw a decrease. In 2024, 400,000 fewer Canadians visited compared to the same period the previous year. This information comes from a study by the Advanced Research Center for Sustainable Tourism (STARC), led by Francisco Madrid Flores.

Flores noted that the decrease in American tourists was noticeable. He said, "We saw it in the past season; the intended goal was not achieved, because Americans are traveling to Europe, almost 37%, which has meant losses for the sector."

The study also highlighted that American tourists are not only choosing Europe over Cancún, but also the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic is a direct competitor with the Mexican Caribbean for American tourists.

According to the study, in August 2023, the Mexican Caribbean captured 7.1% of total US tourism traveling abroad, while the Dominican Republic captured 5.7%. By August 2024, the Mexican Caribbean's share had fallen to 5.8%, with the Dominican Republic holding steady at 5.3%.

In addition to the loss of American and Canadian tourists, Cancún has also seen a decrease in visitors from Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. This decrease of 213,432 tourists is likely due to changes in visa policy. Tourists from these countries now require visas to enter Mexico via Cancún Airport.

The study also pointed out that the overall decrease in tourism to the Mexican Caribbean in the first seven months of the year is due to a loss of 1.4 million airline seats from national airlines. This is a result of the crisis facing the aviation industry, which has a direct impact on all tourist destinations. The study warns that eight of the ten main routes in Mexico are experiencing a significant contraction in passenger volume.