Tourism Growth in Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo, a Mexican state renowned for its popular tourist destinations like Cancun and the Riviera Maya, has reported impressive tourism numbers during the winter vacation period of 2025-2026. The Secretariat of Tourism for Quintana Roo (Sedetur) confirmed that the preliminary numbers show over one million tourists visited the region.
Tourist Growth in Key Destinations
- Tulum: Experienced a 1.2% growth, with 141,305 tourists compared to 139,621 in the previous winter vacation period.
- Cancun: Saw a 5.3% increase, with 455,691 visitors compared to 432,755 in the previous period.
- Riviera Maya: Also grew by 5.6%, with 339,729 tourists compared to 321,698 in the previous period.
These figures do not include tourists visiting other significant destinations such as Holbox, Bacalar, the Costa Maya, and Maya Ka’an.
High Aircraft Activity
Mara Lezama, the governor of Quintana Roo, shared on her social media that the state saw high aircraft activity over the weekend, with 770 flights on January 3rd at the four international airports. This number is the second-highest in the current vacation period, just below the peak of 771 operations in December.
On Sunday, the total number of flights reached 1,461 across all four airports in the state over the weekend.
Cancun’s Dominance in International Travel
Lezama highlighted Cancun’s significant contribution, as it solidified its position in 2025 as Mexico’s busiest international travel hub, surpassing Mexico City, Jalisco, and Baja California Sur.
Positive Outlook for 2026
Bernardo Cueto Riestra, the head of Sedetur, emphasized that despite challenges such as limited airline seats in 2025, Quintana Roo still managed to welcome over 20 million tourists throughout the year. This achievement underscores the region’s high tourism momentum, translating into economic growth, high employment rates, increased revenue for infrastructure projects, and economic benefits for local populations.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the significance of Quintana Roo’s tourism numbers during the winter break? Quintana Roo surpassed one million tourists, demonstrating a robust and growing tourism sector.
- Which destinations within Quintana Roo experienced growth? Tulum, Cancun, and the Riviera Maya all saw tourist increases during the winter vacation period.
- What does high aircraft activity indicate? High aircraft activity reflects increased travel demand and interest in Quintana Roo as a tourist destination.
- Why is Cancun’s position as a leading international travel hub important? Cancun’s dominance signifies strong connectivity and accessibility, attracting more tourists to the region.
- What does the positive outlook for 2026 mean? The high tourism momentum in Quintana Roo is expected to continue, driving economic growth and benefits for local communities.
