In the first four months of 2024, Mexico saw a surge in cruise tourism, welcoming 3.88 million cruise ship passengers, marking a 2.2% increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Tourism Ministry (Sectur).
Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco Marqués announced that these tourists arrived on 1,200 cruise ships and contributed US $325.8 million to the Mexican economy, reflecting a 6.2% increase in tourist spending from last year. The average expenditure per cruise ship tourist rose to US $83.9, up 3.9% from 2023’s figure of US $80.7 per person.
The majority of these cruise ship tourists visited Mexico’s key ports, with Cozumel and Mahahual in Quintana Roo, Ensenada in Baja California, Cabo San Lucas in Baja California Sur, and Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco being the most popular destinations. Together, these four ports accounted for 90% of all cruise ship arrivals in the country between January and April 2024.
Cozumel led the way, with 520 cruise ships bringing in 1.81 million passengers, a 14.2% increase in visitors and a 5.5% rise in ship arrivals compared to the previous year. Mahahual followed, with 207 cruise ships and 844,087 tourists, showcasing a significant 15.6% increase in ship arrivals and a remarkable 35.6% rise in passengers. These figures underscore Quintana Roo’s continued dominance in Mexico’s cruise tourism sector.
In other ports, Ensenada received 281,007 passengers aboard 93 cruise ships, Cabo San Lucas saw 257,069 passengers on 83 ships, and Puerto Vallarta welcomed 238,471 passengers from 78 cruise ships.
Notably, Mahahual hosted the world’s largest cruise ship, the Icon of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean Group, which arrived in February with 8,000 passengers, doubling the local population. Mahahual, a small fishing town known for its proximity to the world’s second-largest coral reef, has grown in popularity as the sole cruise port in southern Quintana Roo.
