by Mark Chesnut
Last updated: 5:00 PM ET, Tue December 26, 2023
It’s no surprise that Mexico continues to be one of the top-selling international destinations for U.S. travelers. It’s one of the top 10 most-visited countries in the world, according to the World Tourism Organization, and the U.S. accounts for a majority of its international arrivals.
Continued growth is likely for 2024, but what’s especially interesting is that travelers are seeking out a wider variety of experiences when they visit Mexico. And that will help push several smaller tourism destinations to the forefront.
According to a travel advisor survey by American Marketing Group, which owns TRAVELSAVERS, NEST and Affluent Traveler Collection, all-inclusive travel is the top trend for the new year, while multigenerational travel ranks as the third most popular trend. Emerging trends include bucket-list trips, personal experiences, off-the-beaten-path travel and authentic travel. All of this bodes well for Mexico, which offers experiences and destinations that fit with all of those trends.
Here are some of the hottest destinations both large and small in Mexico for 2024.
Aguascalientes
One of Mexico’s smallest states, Aguascalientes has begun a major push to increase its profile on the tourism scene and is already gaining greater attention for its major events — including the Feria San Marcos (San Marcos Fair), which will bring big-name entertainment to the capital city of Aguascalientes in April 2024.
Feria de San Marcos in Aguascalientes. (Photo Credit: Tourism Ministry of Mexico, Sectur)
There's also the?Festival de las Calaveras (Skull Festival), a November event that ties in with the Day of the Dead and celebrates the heritage of Jose Gaudalupe Posada, the printmaker and lithographer who first created the iconic Catrina (an elegantly dressed female skeleton character that has become a symbol of the Day of the Dead).
Los Cabos
Los Cabos is a favorite for nature lovers and luxury seekers. And it’s bound to attract more vacationers interested in wellness, as well, as the Los Cabos Tourism Board?positions the destination as the ideal place to stay healthy.
In September, for example, the organization named the destination’s first-ever brand ambassador: Diana Flores, the captain and quarterback of Mexico’s World Champion Women’s National Flag Football Team, part of a strategy to promote the region’s many healthful vacation offerings.
In addition, several new luxury resorts are opening in Los Cabos, including the St. Regis Los Cabos,?Four Seasons Cabo del Sol,?Park Hyatt Los Cabos,?Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos, as well as?SOHO HOUSE Beach Club and?Amanvari?(in 2025).
Jalisco and Nayarit
These two adjacent states attract visitors with their blend of natural beauty, cultural richness and an impressive array of hotels. In 2023, Jalisco — which is home to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara — received nearly 10 million air arrivals, a 10.7 percent increase compared to 2022. And tourism officials are predicting continued growth.
Guadalajara, for example, is welcoming seven new hotels in 2024, while the Puerto Vallarta International Airport is to open what’s billed as Latin America’s first Net Zero-certified terminal later in the year. Jalisco will also welcome a brand-new airport: Chalacatepec International Airport, which is scheduled to debut in the Costalegre region, south of Puerto Vallarta, in mid-2024. The new facility is located near a $1 billion hotel and residential development project recently announced by Xala.
Mazatlan is Mexico’s 'Pearl of the Pacific' (Photo Credit: Travel Impressions)
Mazatlan
Mexico’s “Pearl of the Pacific” is gearing up for increased visitor numbers in 2024, with events like carnival, which will take place February 8-13, 2024, and a unique viewing opportunity for a total solar eclipse on April 8, for which Mazatlan promises some of the best vantage points. The city and the Mazatlan Astronomical Society have partnered with NASA to coordinate public events related to the phenomenon.
Mazatlan is also welcoming five new hotels in 2024, including the 146-room Nus Wyndham Garden Suites, the 184-room Fiesta American Mazatlan, two IHG properties (a Holiday Inn Express and Avid) and the 358-room Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlán Golf & Spa Resort, which is to open in March 2024 in Estrella del Mar Golf Club.
Mexican Caribbean
Mexico’s Caribbean coast attracts lots of visitors to its big-name destinations, including Cancun and the Riviera Maya. And they’re likely to explore even more of the region in 2024, thanks in part to the December 2023 opening of Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport, which serves Tulum and other parts of the Riviera Maya. Also, increasing regional connectivity is the Tren Maya (Mayan Train), the tourist train that debuted its first segment in December.
New hotel names in the Mexican Caribbean include the 182-room Riviera Maya Edition at Kanai, 540-room Hilton Cancun Mar Caribe All-Inclusive Resort and 12-room Xela in Tulum.
Mexico City Palacio de Bellas Artes and Torre Latinoamericana. (Photo Credit: @departure_level)
Mexico City
Mexico’s capital ranked as one of the top three most-visited tourist places in the world in 2023, according to the World Tourism Organization, and that popularity is likely to continue. New hotels include the the 201-room Hyatt Regency Mexico City Insurgentes, 50-room Hotel Volga, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, 44-room ONTO Tonala, nine-room Casa Altata and eight-room Casa Izeba. Two Kimpton properties are to debut this year.
Visitors to Mexico City can also partake in more immersive activities. UNESCO reports that 24 local initiatives in the city are promoting responsible tourism through local activities like a Beekeeper for a day tour in Xochimilco, Coyoacan gastronomy tours and excursions to the Fuentes Brotantes National Park. Tours are bookable via the Airbnb platform.
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Rosewood San Miguel de Allende. (Photo Credit: @departure_level)
Home to one of Mexico’s highest concentrations of luxury hotels, San Miguel de Allende continues to up the ante with new options like the Pueblo Bonito Vantage San Miguel de Allende, which opens in spring 2024 with 111 guest rooms and 45 privately owned villas. Other new properties include the Numu Boutique Hotel, which opened in 2023 as part of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection.
Yucatan State
The state of Yucatan and its capital city, Merida are among the destinations that are poised to benefit from the debut of the Tren Maya, which ideally will make it easier to visit more historic sites throughout the region. The first stage of the rail system connects Campeche with Cancun, with multiple stops in the state of Yucatan.?
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