In 2025, Puebla solidified its position as the epicenter of Mexican tourism, climbing to fourth place nationally in visitor numbers with over 17 million visitors, a 5.30 percent increase over 2024. Only Quintana Roo, Mexico City, and Jalisco surpassed it, as announced by the state’s Secretary of Tourism, Carla López Malo Villalón.
“Here’s some very good news that I haven’t yet shared with the governor: today we are the most visited state in the entire country,” she stated at a press conference in Mexico City.
This influx, she explained, generated an economic impact of nearly 21 billion pesos, a 10 percent jump that boosts the local economy and demonstrates Puebla’s post-pandemic resilience.
The tourism infrastructure shone with solid figures: an average hotel occupancy rate of 51 percent. “If a hotel has 100 rooms, 51 of those 100 rooms were occupied all year,” explained López Malo Villalón.
“An average stay of 1.84 nights, with a goal of reaching two. This translated into more than 6,618,000 tourists staying in the city, 3.98 percent more than the previous year. International tourism took off with a growth of almost 10 percent, approaching 1 million foreign visitors from key source markets such as the United States, Canada, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Colombia, Chile, China, and South Korea. The Puebla-Huejotzingo airport registered 17 percent more arrivals, thanks to renovations promoted by Governor Alejandro Armenta.
Puebla not only attracts visitors with its Baroque capital—a World Heritage Site—but also with its rich living culture. Visits to museums and archaeological sites grew by 7 percent, with almost 500,000 people exploring renovated sites such as Cholula and Cantona.
“The arrival of visitors to museums and archaeological sites in the State of Puebla grew because we want people to…” “Go and truly get to know our traditions and our culture,” the secretary emphasized.
This focus on pre-Hispanic, colonial, and independent heritage blends history with modernity, attracting families, academics, and art lovers.
The Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Towns) and tourist municipalities saw a 5.3 percent increase in visitors, promoting authentic community experiences: stays with artisans, traditional cooks, and local producers. Initiatives from the Armenta administration decentralize tourism, benefiting rural communities and reducing pressure on the capital.
“We are going to Pueblos Mágicos, which is what we have been doing during Governor Alejandro Armenta’s administration, encouraging visitors to come directly to the communities, offering community-based tourism experiences where visitors can interact directly with artisans, producers, and traditional cooks,” explained López Malo Villalón.
The social impact is equally transformative. In the last quarter of 2025, 213,000 new tourism jobs were created, 12 percent more than in 2024.
“The The tourism industry employs the highest percentage of young people and is the second largest employer of women,” the secretary emphasized, highlighting its role in gender equality and youth inclusion.
Puebla, the fifth most populous state and home to the fourth largest city in the country, faces challenges such as security, but Armenta affirmed: “Puebla is a safe state that faces challenges, undoubtedly… We have managed to strengthen security indicators,” she stated, adding that they are already working on the tourism program they will present in Madrid, Spain, at the International Tourism Fair (Fitur), from January 21 to 25.
Monthly Guide to Discovering Puebla
To capitalize on this boom, Alejandro Armenta, Governor of Puebla, launched a monthly promotional magazine, available in restaurants, shops, tourist sites, and national and international airports.
“We want to introduce you to the magazine that we will have every month, which will be located in the main tourist sites of Puebla. It includes calendars of activities, a tourist guide, information on parks and events.”
The publication focuses on religious traditions, festivals, and the Puebla Passport 2026, successor to the successful 2025 Passport.
“Puebla is a state with a rich religious and cultural tradition, and this allows pre-Hispanic traditions to blend with colonial traditions and those that emerged later in our country’s independence,” Armenta emphasized.
Source: milenio
