Chichén Itzá beats out Teotihuacán and Tulum as Mexico’s top draw in a banner year for cultural tourism

Mexico is experiencing historical maturation successful taste tourism, underscoring the value of its practice not conscionable for its intrinsic worth but besides arsenic an economical and societal operator of  communities.

Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez this week reported that 15.9 cardinal visitors toured museums and archaeological sites crossed the state during the archetypal 9 months of the year, generating opportunities for guides, artisans and section projects.

The pyramids of Teotihuacán successful México state, predating the Aztecs by centuries, attracted 1.2 cardinal tourists successful the archetypal 3 quarters of 2025, 2nd lone to Chichén Itzá. (@4gottn_History/on X)

“These spaces not lone pull tourism, but besides enactment arsenic engines to boost section economies, grow benefits for communities and fortify pridefulness and taste identity,” Rodríguez said.

Tourism Ministry (Sectur) officials said the surge consolidates Mexico’s presumption arsenic 1 of the astir dynamic planetary destinations, and it could interruption records successful 2026 due to the fact that of events specified arsenic the FIFA World Cup and FITUR 2026 (Spain’s planetary tourism fair, astatine which Mexico volition beryllium the featured guest).

The information compiled by the nationalist statistic bureau INEGI showed that 7.4 cardinal tourists visited Mexico’s archaeological sites done the archetypal 9 months of 2025, a 2.6% summation implicit the aforesaid play successful 2024. Nearly two-thirds of the visitors (64%) were Mexican nationals, portion 36% were foreigners.

The Maya archaeological analyzable of Chichén Itzá successful the authorities of Yucatán was the astir fashionable site, receiving 1.7 cardinal tourists during the January-September period.

The remains of a precocious Maya metropolis combined with a beauteous formation resort, Jaguar National Park and quality reserves person made Tulum successful Quntana Roo the 3rd astir fashionable taste tourism tract successful Mexico, contempt a caller downturn successful visitors. (Gobierno de Quintana Roo/via Cuartoscuro.com)

The pyramids of Teotihuacán located 48 kilometers northeast of Mexico City successful México authorities was the second-most visited site, attracting 1.2 cardinal tourists. Tulum on the Caribbean seashore successful the authorities of Quintana Roo was 3rd with 809,000 visitors.

Meanwhile, much than 8.5 cardinal radical visited Mexico’s museums, a 16.9% summation implicit the aforesaid play past year. The overwhelming bulk (89%) of museum-goers were Mexican nationals.

Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology was by acold the favorite, attracting 43% of each depository visits. The National Museum of History, aka Chapultepec Castle, was the 2nd most-visited depository (24%), portion the Templo Mayor Museum recorded conscionable 4% of full depository visits.

Between January and September 2025, Mexico received 71 cardinal visitors, representing a 13.9% summation compared to the aforesaid play of the erstwhile year.

Maritime tourism besides showed a affirmative trend: 8 cardinal cruise vessel passengers arrived astatine the country’s ports, generating US $668.9 cardinal successful overseas exchange, 11.6% much than 2024 and 51.1% supra pre-pandemic levels.

By itself, September registered the accomplishment of 7.28 cardinal planetary visitors, a 16 percent monthly increase. Sectur anticipates a further surge with the commencement of the wintertime season, expecting the yearly influx of snowbirds from Canada and the U.S.

“Everything indicates that 2025 volition adjacent arsenic a historical year, reflecting the sector’s committedness to positioning Mexico arsenic a starring tourer and taste destination,” Rodríguez said.

With reports from PubliMetro, Revista Fortuna and La Revista del Sureste