Tourism GDP exceeded pre-pandemic level in the second quarter of 2022

Tourism shows its resilience again. The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) reported that the tourism GDP grew 5% during the second quarter of 2022, compared to the previous one, with which it already exceeded 0.2% compared to the same period in 2019.

The increase announced on Friday was driven by the good moment experienced by the arrival of international tourists, mainly from the United States, despite not having the full operation of the VisitMéxico promotion platform, recently withdrawn from the company. Braintivity.

In the April-June period, domestic tourism consumption grew 5.2%, compared to the previous quarter, which also allowed a minimal increase compared to 2019 of 0.1 percent. The internal segment (national tourists) rose 5.8%, compared to the previous quarter, which was not enough for it to remain in a negative figure compared to 2019: -4% percent.

On the contrary, receptive tourism consumption (international tourism) grew 1% in the second quarter of this year, compared to the previous one, but achieved an increase of 16.7% compared to 2019.

In addition, the Migration Policy Unit of the Ministry of the Interior reported that during September the largest number of arrivals of air visitors in history was registered for the same month: one million 302,039, 27.4% more than the same month four years ago. .

“The tourism GDP in Mexico will maintain growth, although at rather low levels because the internal market has not fully recovered. The favorable performance will continue, in principle, at least for the rest of the year,” said Francisco Madrid, director of the Anáhuac Tourism Competitiveness and Research Center (Cicotur).

sector celebrates

As part of his busy schedule of activities, the Secretary of Tourism, Miguel Torruco, mentioned last week that despite the various complications he has faced throughout his administration, the tourism sector is growing and that at the end of his tenure will maintain “good results” recorded to date.

The foregoing, without yet having the Inegi report.

In it, it was detailed that the services component of tourism GDP grew 5.6% in the second quarter of the year compared to the previous quarter and 20.6% with the same period in 2021.

According to the Inegi, tourism is characterized by producing, to a greater extent, services that are consumed by visitors.

“If the total tourism production is considered, services represent 89.4% and the production of goods, 10.6 percent. Among the main services generated by tourist activity, the following stand out: accommodation, passenger transport service and service in restaurants, bars and nightclubs, among others”, it was detailed.

Regarding the arrival of tourists by air, which represent about 80% of total foreign exchange, in the accumulated January-September they totaled 15 million 059,070, which represented an increase of 61% compared to the same period of 2021 and 6.1% with same months of 2019.

alejandro.delarosa@eleconomista.mx