Mexico’s international tourism numbers broke records in 2011 with nearly 22.7 million visitors. That represented a 2% jump over 2010 and a 0.2% increase over the previous high-water mark: 22.6 million visitors in 2008.
While the number of U.S. visitors fell by 3% last year, there were significant increases in visitors from Russia, China, Australia, the U.K., Brazil, France, Japan and Canada, said the Mexico Tourism Board.
“These figures clearly demonstrate that the bold diversification strategy we have implemented, promoting a broad tourism offering and targeting an expanded breed of global consumer, is succeeding,” said Rodolfo Lopez-Negrete, COO of the Mexico Tourism Board.
Tourism officials also are confident that U.S. numbers will be strong in 2012, given the increases charted in the last quarter of 2011, which helped push the overall U.S. source market share from 14.1% to 15%.
The late surge kept Mexico in the top slot as the most popular international destination for U.S. visitors.
Bookings from the U.S. during the current winter season are also up over the same period a year ago, echoed by high occupancies reported by properties in the resort areas, officials said.
Secretary of Tourism Gloria Guevara referenced the economic recession in the U.S. as well as the collapse of Mexicana Airlines in August 2010 as “factors that influenced the behavior of 2011.”
The Mexico government had declared 2011 the Year of Tourism in an effort to bolster inbound and domestic travel and to counter the effects of headlines about drug-related violence that has plagued nontourist parts of the country since 2006.
A key focus for tourism officials this year is to capitalize on and celebrate the start of the new Mayan calendar in December, with specific promotions targeting the five states that comprise the Mayan World: Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas and Yucatan.
That focus, combined with aggressive marketing campaigns and strong value-added promotions, are expected to drive numbers even higher.
“Building off an exceptionally strong 2011, we are confident that with programs such as Mundo Maya and the diversification strategy to promote Mexico as more than just a sun-and-beach destination, growth from and strength in the U.S. market will continue,” Guevara said.
That optimism was undiminished by a new travel warning for Mexico issued by the U.S. State Department on Feb. 8, replacing the April 2011 advisory.
The wording this time was far more specific and the warnings more targeted than in the past. More importantly, Mexico’s top resort areas are considered safe for travel.
Following efforts to attract a more diverse range of visitors from targeted international markets, Mexico’s visitor increases break down as follows: Brazil was up 66%; Russia, 55%; China, 30%; Colombia, 23.2%; Italy, 13%; Australia, 13%; the U.K., 11.6%; France, 10%; Japan, 3%; and Canada, 7%.
Foreign tourists last year also spent 7% more money while visiting Mexico than a year earlier, averaging $158 per person, per day.
Follow Gay Nagle Myers on Twitter @gnmtravelweekly.