|
Mexico Welcomed Nearly Six
Million Visitors in 2005 First
Quarter
The inflow of foreign tourists
to Mexico climbed 12.3 percent
in the first three months of
this year compared to the first
quarter a year ago when the
local travel industry came in
for 5.7 million sunbathers.
March´s $1.05 billion figure
pushed the country´s
first-quarter international
tourism revenues to US$2.94
billion, representing a 14
percent increase over
first-quarter 2004 figures, the
countrys Tourism Department
reported.
In January 2004 the figure was
US$914 million, and in February
2004 US$972 million. The Tourism
Departments figures revealed
that more than 5.9 million
international tourists visited
Mexico during the first quarter
of 2005, up 12.3 percent from
the same period last year.
According to the Department, an
additional 2.1 million tourists
arrived on cruise ships during
the first quarter of 2005, up
0.2 percent from the same period
in 2004; they spent 127 million
dollars during the period, up
5.3 percent from the first three
months of 2004.
Also breaking records was the
average spending of
international tourists while in
Mexico, which the Department
reported at an all-time high of
$724 in the first quarter of
2005, up from the $690 during
the same period in 2004.
According to Banco de Mexico,
the tourism industry´s trade
balance during the first three
months of 2005 posted a $1.373
billion surplus, up 18 percent
from the same period in 2003.
Tourism is the third most
important economic activity in
Mexico, representing 8.3 percent
of the nation´s Gross Domestic
Product (GDP).
The country currently ranks 8th
in the number of international
visitors and 10th in
international tourism revenues,
according to the World Tourism
Organization (WTO).
|
|
