International tourism in Mexico plummeted 62.2% in August

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International travelers left USD 466.8 million in the country in the eighth month of 2020, while in August 2019 they spent USD 1,752.6 million

Mexico received 62.2% fewer international tourists in August than in the same month of 2019, going from almost 3.6 million to about 1.35 million travelers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and despite the fact that this was the third month since the economic reopening of the country began.

The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) reported this Friday that the main decrease, of 74.5%, occurred in tourists arriving by air, which in August of last year represented just over 1.4 million people and this year they were 364,280 travelers.

Border tourists decreased 55.2% in August, reaching 815,096 tourists.

The decrease responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, a disease that so far has left 804,488 infections and 83,096 deaths in the country.

On June 1, the so-called “new normal” began in Mexico with an economic and social opening in phases and very cautious after two months of a health emergency that paralyzed non-essential activities.  (Photo: EFE)On June 1, the so-called “new normal” began in Mexico with an economic and social opening in phases and very cautious after two months of a health emergency that paralyzed non-essential activities. (Photo: EFE)

Although the drop in tourism is still very marked, the August figure improves compared to the 74.8% drop in international tourists in June and the 66.6% drop in July, which can be interpreted as a gradual reactivation of the market.

On June 1, the so-called “new normal” began in Mexico with an economic and social opening in phases and very cautious after two months of a health emergency that paralyzed non-essential activities.

For this reason, Mexico lost 73.4% of its foreign exchange earnings from tourism in August compared to the same month in 2019.

International travelers left USD 466.8 million in the country in the eighth month of 2020 , while in August 2019 they spent USD 1,752.6 million.

International travelers left USD 466.8 million in the country in the eighth month of 2020, while in August 2019 they spent USD 1,752.6 million.  (Photo: EFE)International travelers left USD 466.8 million in the country in the eighth month of 2020, while in August 2019 they spent USD 1,752.6 million. (Photo: EFE)

The average expenditure of each tourist also decreased , going from USD 245.16 last year to USD 207.53 last August , 15.3% less.

The Mexican tourism industry, which contributes 8.7% of GDP, will not fully recover until 2023, according to estimates by Miguel Torruco, head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur).

Mexico was consolidated in 2019 as one of the 10 most visited countries in the world with more than 45 million international tourists , who left USD 24,563 million, an annual growth of 9%.

On July 23, the Government of Mexico presented a plan to boost the hotel sector to overcome the COVID-19 crisis that will consist of lending 11.4 billion pesos (about USD 550 million) to these establishments at a maximum rate of 13.5% of interest

Source: infobae.com

Mexico Daily Post