In February 2026, the month of the Mazatlán Carnival, one of the most important mass events in northwestern Mexico, the city received a total of 136,201 visitors by air. This figure represents a decrease of 6,120 passengers compared to the same month last year.
According to data from Grupo Aeroportuario Centro-Norte (OMA), which operates the Culiacán and Mazatlán airports, international passengers arriving at the port city fell by 11.1%. This segment, foreign tourists, accounted for the largest portion of the decline, with 5,327 fewer passengers overall.
In the first two months of 2026, Mazatlán has accumulated a total deficit of 12,515 visitors by air compared to the previous year, including both international and domestic tourists.
The drop in the number of visitors to Mazatlán is not limited to the beginning of this year. According to data from the Federal Ministry of Tourism, as well as that from OMA (Organization of American Travel Agencies), the arrival of people to the destination has been affected since the beginning of the security crisis in the state in September 2024. The outbreak of violence, stemming from the internal war within the Sinaloa Cartel, includes a rise in cases of forced disappearances, homicides, and armed attacks.
Throughout 2024, Mazatlán attracted 1,868,000 air passengers. By 2025, the figure had fallen by 7.1%, reaching 1,736,000.
This decline occurs within a context of deteriorating perceptions of security in the city. Locals, tourists, businesspeople, and officials have all been victims of violence in the port and on the highways that connect it. The conflict that began in September 2024 pits the factions known as “Los Chapitos,” led by the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, against “Los Mayitos,” linked to the power structure of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
This period has been characterized by armed clashes in urban and rural areas, road blockades, and attacks against people, homes, and businesses, among other things. Mazatlán, its tourist zone, and surrounding areas have also become a hotspot of insecurity and criminal activity related to this war.
In December 2024, 67.7% of Mazatlán residents reported feeling unsafe in their city. In the most recent survey, conducted in December 2025, this proportion increased to 80.4%, placing the municipality 15th out of 91 nationwide among cities with the highest perception of public insecurity.
Currently, Canada and the United States, the main sources of international tourism to Mazatlán, maintain travel alerts urging their citizens not to visit Sinaloa, considering it a place of high danger due to criminal activity.
Source: revistaespejo
