Mexico’s culture draws tens of millions of visitors every year, from its colourful Day of the Dead celebrations to the national reverence for gastronomy that means there is something delicious to taste around almost every corner.
As a Latin American country, it might not be the first place that the phrase “LGBT+ travel destination” makes spring to mind, and of course, the Catholic church exerts a conservative influence, but legislatively it’s a different story.
Pride festivals are expanding across the country, and Mexico is positioned as a long-haul travel destination for the LGBT+ community (that’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, plus a number of groups with other orientations and identities).
Mexico is one of the most visited countries for lesbian-gay tourists in Latin America. The Mexican Secretariat of Tourism states that Mexico receives around three and a half million tourists from the LGBTQ community annually. Mexico is only surpassed in Latin America by the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.
In a statement made by the executive director of LGBTQ Confex, Rubén Sandoval, Mexico has become an increasingly attractive market for the LGBTQ community due to the advances in the recognition of rights, tourism promotion campaigns, and awareness training driven by the Federal government.
The Mexican government has been promoting gay friendly tourism as they see the opportunity to reach persons with high purchasing power, willing to know other cultures and experiences (that’s a direct translation from the government release).
According to the Mexican Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, LGBT tourism brings in about 8.5 million persons per year. Thanks to the amazing progress made by the government in promoting equal rights, the number is sure to grow.
The LGBT community from around the world has come to Mexico looking for paradisiacal beaches, a rich and vibrant culture, and an overall cheap cost of travel and living.
The Yucatan TimesNewsroom
