Mexico’s Tourism Ministry is putting the brakes on the expansion of the Pueblos Mágicos (Magic Towns) program. The decision is not permanent, but it is firm for now. A national evaluation is underway, and the next additions will wait until it ends. The policy was confirmed in Aguascalientes, where federal Tourism Secretary Josefina Rodríguez Zamora said officials are finishing a full review of the current list.
No new Pueblos Mágicos in Mexico
The ministry is evaluating all 177 Pueblos Mágicos across the country. The goal is to verify that each one meets standards set by the federal government. Only after that process will new candidates be considered. The ministry has not set a date to reopen calls for new designations.
This pause follows a period of rapid growth. The last big intake came in June 2023, when the government announced 45 new towns, bringing the total to 177. That number remains the benchmark used by officials and industry media through 2025.
What the evaluation is checking
SECTUR’s review looks at hard requirements, not slogans. Towns must show real planning, active committees, and basic service standards for visitors. Municipalities also need a functioning tourism program and compliance with federal registries. These points reflect the ministry’s published lineamientos for entry and permanence in the program.
Several state and local briefings say the ministry wants updated files from every town this year. The deadline cited by regional outlets is September 30, 2025. After that, the ministry will sort towns into performance tiers. The categories reported are Triple A for top performers, Double A for towns needing adjustments, and A for localities that require urgent work.
Why the pause matters
The Magic Town brand draws visitors and money. Expansion without oversight can water down the label and strain small communities. By pausing additions, the ministry is signaling that quality matters more than headline numbers. Advocates of the pause argue that the brand must mean something specific and measurable. That is the point of the 2025 review and the new compliance push.
The program has always balanced promotion with preservation. The 2025 approach leans into governance and sustainability. The lineamientos outline duties for towns, states, and the federation, tying local policy to national tourism plans and the program’s own strategy. This is a technical shift, but an important one for long-term credibility.
How towns will be judged
Officials will examine whether each town meets the rules it signed up for. That includes having an active citizens’ committee, documented meetings, and a working plan for visitor services. Urban image rules and public safety practices also come into play. The ministry and state tourism offices coordinate these checks and track results. The message is simple: keep standards high or fix the gaps fast.
The ranking will not erase a town overnight. Reports indicate that lower-ranked places will be asked to improve during 2026 rather than lose the title on the spot. That approach gives local governments time to budget and act, while making clear that the designation is not automatic.
What this means for travelers and the industry
For travelers, the map does not change today. The list stays at 177 while the review wraps up. For tour operators and hoteliers, the pause offers a window to improve service and storytelling in places that already have the brand. In practice, stronger standards can help visitors know what to expect when they see the Magic Town seal.
Local leaders who hoped to win the badge this year will need patience. The national review provides a clearer bar to aim for, which could help serious candidates build better cases later. It also reduces political pressure to grow the list for the sake of press releases. That is good news for destinations that have invested in doing the basics right.
The political and regional angles
The confirmation came in Aguascalientes, underscoring how national policy often breaks through regional outlets first. OEM’s El Sol del Centro report framed the move as a “not yet” rather than a “never,” and tied it to the comprehensive review now being finalized. That framing matches what other regional reports have said in recent months about deadlines and grading.
States with many Pueblos Mágicos will watch the ranking closely. Jalisco and the State of Mexico have the most, and both have towns that benefit significantly from federal branding. Clear grades could spur regional competition to reach the top tier. The effect could be more investment in signage, training, sanitation, and mobility—areas that often decide a visitor’s experience.
The road ahead for the program
There is no sign that the federal government wants to shrink the program. The public message is strength through standards, not cuts. Classification into A, AA, and AAA looks designed to help target support, track progress, and reward results. The short-term pain is the wait for newcomers. The long-term gain is a seal that actually signals quality.
Some states are experimenting with complementary labels, such as “Barrios Mágicos,” to spread benefits within large cities. Those initiatives are separate, but they signal a broader push to diversify tourism beyond the usual hubs. If the national review lands well, expect the ministry to reopen nominations with clearer rules and less controversy.
