Tulum, Bacalar, and Isla Mujeres were three of the top 10 Magical Towns in Mexico during the first three months of the year, drawing mostly domestic tourists.
The Despegar travel agency found that 62 percent of their visitors came from within Mexico, making Tulum the most popular domestic destination. While 94% of Bacalar’s visitors came from Mexico, 34% of Isla Mujeres’ visitors came from the country.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, an average of 8.5 million Mexicans visit hotels in these destinations each year. Alejandro Sánchez, Despegar’s Loyalty and Financial Alliances Manager, noted that the diversification of Mexico’s tourist offer has helped to boost local tourism in communities.
“It is important to note that there are 10 Magical Towns with the highest number of travel bookings in the first quarter of the year, led by Tulum, San Cristóbal de las Casas, and Bacalar,” he continued.
The majority of visitors to the three tourist destinations in Quintana Roo would be domestic. According to Despegar’s analysis, the majority of Tulum’s visitors were Mexican (62%), followed by Chileans (15%), Brazilians (7%), Argentines (7%), and Americans (3%), making it a destination that also attracts cultural tourists.
In Bacalar, travelers behave as follows: 94% are Mexican, 3% are American, 2% are Panamanian, 1% are Argentine, and 1% are Brazilian. Meanwhile, in the case of Isla Mujeres, visitors from the neighboring country lead the visits, with 38%; Mexicans, 34%; Panamanians, 15%; Argentines, 7%, and Chileans, 1%.
According to Despegar, six out of ten Mexican travelers prefer to visit colonial Magical Towns, and the average length of stay in these locations is between three and five days.
