The state of Yucatán set a tourism record in 2019, welcoming over 3.2 million visitors. The total includes 2.8 million air passengers, up 13.8 percent year-over-year, as well as over 400,000 cruise passengers at the Port of Progreso.
In 2019 Yucatán registered and increase of 15 percent in overnight visitor arrivals, exceeding the 2 million benchmark for the first time and making the state among the top three destinations for growth nationwide. The overnight visits generated over $430,000 in economic activity.
Yucatán’s capital city, Mérida, was ranked among the most searched-for destinations for 2020. Th estate also placed eighth overall in terms of total tourist arrivals nationwide.
The Ministry of Tourism Development (SEFOTUR) for Yucatán facilitated improvements to the state’s cruise ports, including upgrades to infrastructure, tourism activities, services and training. From January to December 2019, 470,418 maritime arrivals were recorded, which translated to an economic gain estimated at approximately $999,000.
The Meetings, Events and Incentives (MICE) segment, meanwhile, registered a total 122,733 participants in the state from January to December — a 46.9 percent jump compared to 83,542 registered participants in the same period of 2018. It is important to note that a total of 228 congress and convention events were held in Mérida during the period.
The International Airport in Mérida handled 2,790,649 passengers from January through December, an increase of 13.8 percent compared to 2018. This is the result of an increase in connections, with six new national routes between Mérida and other main Mexican hubs with connections to other countries, according to data from the national DATATUR system.
DATATUR data for the same period regarding overnight stays in the state’s main tourist centers showed an increase of 15 percent compared to the same period of 2018, totaling 2,045,123 visitors. The average hotel occupancy rate reached 55.5 percent, that is, 0.5 percentage points above the 55 percent rate observed in the same period of 2018.
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