In the world luxury tourism market, Mexico is one of the most developed, since of the 99.2 billion dollars it is worth on a global scale, the country has a 12.1 percent share; However, 75 percent of this capital is from domestic travelers, with international travelers participating the least.
According to information from Statista, luxury tourism in the country at the end of 2022 has a value of 12 billion dollars, of which 9 billion is from nationals, and 3 billion from foreign origin, this last figure is the same as it was in 2019, before the pandemic hit.
Specialists consider that this is due to a limited stay of this type of tourists, lack of promotion in many parts of the world, the perception of insecurity and the lack of air connectivity in some parts of the nation.
The general director of LeisurePartners, John McCarthy, explained to MILENIO that in recent years the country has built the necessary infrastructure, from hotels to experiences to attract international luxury tourists; However, in other strategies it is failing.
“When a traveler goes to Europe they spend between 10 days to three weeks, as they go from one nation to another, while if they come to Mexico they only spend between four or five days,” commented the manager.
Information from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows that Mexico in 2022 was ranked as the sixth nation that attracts the most international travelers, with 38.3 million people.
On the other hand, the same organization reveals that the tourism sector generated an economic impact in the country of 28 billion dollars, placing it among the 10 nations that gained the most from the industry; However, if we review the spending data per traveler, the ranking looks different.
UNWTO data reveal that each international traveler spends $731 when visiting the country, far below nations such as Australia, Hong Kong and Luxembourg, where spending is over $5,000, even reaching more than $6,500.
“The problem does not have to do so much with the relationship of how much each person spends, but rather that the typical tourist who travels to Mexico has a shorter stay than one who could have in Europe,” explained the general director of LeisurePartners.
The former director of the National Fund for Tourism Promotion (Fonatur) also explained that the disappearance of the Tourism Promotion Council of Mexico (CPTM) and the fact that a new organization has not been created, has caused the country to be promoting itself less and consequently there is less motivation for people to stay longer.
“Another aspect is the insecurity when moving by road, since, for example, if you want to spend a few days in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo and from there go to Morelia, no one is going to venture,” McCarthy stated.
The director of the Anáhuac Tourism Research and Competitiveness Center (Cicotur), Francisco Madrid, stated that there have been various efforts by businessmen to seek a higher segment in purchasing power, when creating hotels or experiences.
The manager pointed out that there are products in the country, but “we have not managed to reach this market segment” with such fullness that it generates high benefits for the sector and the Mexican economy.
Projects
According to the Ministry of Tourism, Mexico has an extensive infrastructure for the luxury segment traveler, proof of this is that 11 hotels in the country were nominated for the Prix Villégiature 2022, in Paris, France, being the second nation with more mentions.
Likewise, the federal agency stated that in recent years, events of great impact have been developed that motivate the arrival of tourists with high purchasing power, such as the Great Desert Race, in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora; the Mar a Mar Race, in Baja California Sur, extreme skydiving event in Mexcaltitán and San Blas and the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Source: Milenio
