During the holiday season, Jalisco registered an economic impact of nearly 4.5 billion pesos, representing a 5.3% increase compared to the same period in 2024, with the arrival of 1.58 million visitors, reported the state Tourism Secretariat.
Guadalajara welcomed more than 622,000 visitors, a 3% increase, generating 1.263 billion pesos. This puts Jalisco on track for 2026 with a solid foundation, a diversified offering, and a growing national and international presence.
One of the main drivers of this dynamism is the meetings industry, which, according to projections from the Guadalajara Visitors and Conventions Bureau (OVC), is expected to close 2025 with 15% growth, reaching 31 billion pesos in revenue, according to its director, Gustavo Staufert.
This is reinforced by an increase in tourism infrastructure: “In the Guadalajara metropolitan area, 20 billion pesos will be invested to add 3,500 more hotel rooms over the next six years.”
During 2026, Jalisco will be one of the host cities for the FIFA World Cup and will become the continental host for the sector by hosting the first edition of ITB Americas, an event it has signed on to host for five consecutive years; this is estimated to generate 240 million pesos in revenue.
In 2024, the meetings industry in Jalisco generated 26.5 billion pesos, representing 1.5% of the state’s GDP, he specified.
For 2025, this figure is estimated at 27.5 billion pesos for meetings tourism in Guadalajara, with 55,000 meetings taking place in the metropolitan area, out of a total of 65,000 held throughout the state.
Events and meetings represent 30% of tourism revenue in Guadalajara and 15% at the state level.
With its sights set on 2026, Jalisco is accelerating its preparations to be one of the host cities for the FIFA World Cup, which will be a catalyst for critical infrastructure projects, such as “the 25 billion peso investment in the airport in its first phase.”
Canada is a strong bet, with Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat, and Flair Airlines offering direct flights. “There is significant private and public investment in air travel, transportation, and hotel infrastructure.”
Faced with the challenge of perceived safety, particularly in inland destinations and Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Towns), Staufert acknowledged that “these problems and realities exist, but there are also many issues of perception.”
To address these issues, specific resources have been allocated; “in the area surrounding Teuchitlán and along the Tequila Route, an investment of over 23 million pesos was made.” However, the most powerful tool is positive exposure through international events.
Festivals such as the Brussels Spirits Festival, which travels through Tequila and San Sebastián del Oeste, or the Mariachi Festival, have become showcases highlighting the appeal of these destinations.
Source: eleconomista
