International tourist spending grows 8% in August despite a dip in arrivals

International tourist spending rose by 8% in August, even though the number of visitors dropped slightly compared to the previous year, according to official figures. In August, 3.76 million international tourists visited Mexico, marking a 0.5% decline compared to August 2025. The majority of these arrivals came by land, with over 1.39 million arriving by air, a 6.5% decrease year over year.

The decline in arrivals was the first annual decrease since September 2025, attributed to factors like beach sargassum, insecurity, and insufficient promotion. Despite the dip in arrivals, international tourist spending increased by 8.1% to $2.16 billion, with an average spend of $573.30 per visitor, up 8.6% from the previous year.

Notably, travelers who flew into Mexico spent more on average, at $1,269.60, a 15.2% rise compared to August 2025. The total number of international tourists arriving in Mexico between January and August 2026 reached 32.68 million, a 3.9% year-over-year increase. International traveler numbers, which include both tourists and day-trippers, rose by 6.3% annually to 67.69 million.

Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez expressed optimism, stating that Mexico's tourism sector is on the rise, with the potential to become one of the world's top five destinations by 2030.