Other destinations suffered harsher corrections. Los Cabos lost 16.5% of its flow, with about 161,000 visitors, and Puerto Vallarta recorded one of the steepest falls, at 31.7%. The most dramatic case was Tulum, whose airport saw foreign arrivals collapse by 60.1%, meaning the loss of more than 12,500 international tourists in a single month. Cozumel, with 7.4%, Mazatlán, with 5.9%, and Zihuatanejo, with 10.3%, also slipped back.
Behaviour by source market explains part of the problem. The United States and Canada together supply nearly 72% of Cancún's visitors, and while the Canadian market grew a modest 2.3%, the American one fell 15.6%. In Europe the numbers were negative almost without exception, with declines of 16.4% from the United Kingdom, 12.2% from France and 6.8% from Germany, plus losses of more than 21% from Italy, Portugal and Poland. Asia did not help either, with a fall of 15.9% from China and 1.9% from India.
In Latin America the picture was more varied. Brazil rose 42.1% and Colombia 16.7%, two markets that are gaining weight as senders to the Mexican Caribbean. However, Argentina, Chile, Cuba and Costa Rica registered declines of between 16% and almost 38%, so regional momentum was not enough to offset the losses from traditional markets.
The cumulative picture from January to July is no more encouraging. Only five of the country's fifteen leading destinations show growth, and those affected include Puerto Vallarta, down 20.6%, Tulum, down 42.5%, and Mazatlán, down 11.9%. This sustained trend suggests that it is not a one-off stumble but a deeper readjustment, shaped by perceptions of safety, rising prices, the strength of Caribbean competitors and a slowdown in leisure spending in the main source markets.
The rise of cities, and of the capital in particular, points to demand that is moving towards culture, gastronomy, business and urban experiences. This shift offers an opportunity to diversify the country's tourism offer, but it cannot hide the fact that coastal areas remain the main generator of foreign currency and jobs in the sector. A prolonged deterioration would affect hotels, restaurants, transport providers, guides and thousands of small local suppliers whose livelihoods depend on the arrival of foreign visitors.
The weight of Cancún makes the situation especially sensitive. With more than four in ten of the country's international air arrivals passing through a single airport, any prolonged weakness in the Caribbean corridor quickly spreads to hotel occupancy, airline capacity and the spending that keeps local economies moving. The fact that the capital is growing while the coast shrinks shows that Mexico still has appeal, but also that its traditional strengths can no longer be assumed.
Analysts are calling for a response strategy that combines selective promotion, better connectivity and stronger safety and service quality. They also suggest exploring emerging markets such as Brazil and Colombia, and repositioning beach destinations with proposals that include nature, heritage and wellness. Only a coordinated response between authorities and businesses will make it possible to stem the losses of the coming months and aim to close the year with positive figures, something that today looks harder than it did twelve months ago.
