Mazatlan is positioned to surpass its 2015 visitor arrival numbers. The Mazatlan Tourism Board announced that midyear figures from January 2016 to May 2016 showed that 733,853 visitors arrived to the destination, an increase of 8.8 percent compared to the same period in 2015.
Mazatlan has increased airlift and cruise calls in 2016, as well. Cruise arrivals are in its third consecutive year of growth, increasing from 35 ships in 2015 to 93 in 2016. Hotel occupancy is also trending positively, with the percentage of hotel occupancy increasing by 59 percent over the same period in 2015.
Mazatlan is also in the process of completing an extensive resort project, Playa Espiritu, which is being developed on 9 square miles of coastal property. Playa Espiritu will be located 50 miles south of downtown Mazatlan. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2018 and will include 100 hotels, featuring beaches, convention and entertainment spaces, retailers and golf courses.