The growing average spending of international tourists arriving in Mexico by air (mainly from the United States) maintains the baton in the recovery of the sector: in February it reached the historic figure of 1,171.4 dollars for that month.
The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) reported this Monday that during the second month of the year total foreign currency was received for 2,115.6 million dollars, which represented an increase of 6.8% compared to what was reported in the previous January.
In addition, this figure is 10% below that reported in February 2020, which had been its highest level when the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was not yet appreciated.
On the contrary, the arrival of international tourists (border tourists and internment tourists) did present seasonality after the end of the winter vacation period and fell 0.9% in February compared to the previous month, adding two million 620,838 people.
Based on the institute, the arrival of foreign tourists to Mexico is 30% below the same month in 2020 (at the end of that year and due to the health situation, the country was the third most visited in the world after France and Italy, according to the World Tourism Organization).
In its analysis of the results of February, the Center for Tourism Research and Competitiveness (Cicotur) highlighted that, although income by air continues to recover, the border component registered a contraction, both in tourists and excursionists, which does not allow the arrival of the full recovery of the tourism sector.
The Ministry of Tourism issued a statement highlighting that between January and February 2022, 9 million 250,000 international visitors entered the country, a growth of 28.4% compared to 2021; being 40.7% away from reaching the figure for the same period of 2019. “The head of the secretariat, Miguel Torruco, pointed out that the foreign exchange income from international visitors in the first two months was 4,096.3 million dollars, 136.3% more compared to the 2021; missing 9.4% to reach the amount of 4,523.1 million dollars raised between January and February 2019 ”, he explained.
