Mexico welcomed 3.7 million foreign tourists in the first quarter, a figure that was up 10.1 percent from the same period in 2013, the Tourism Secretariat said.
Some 3.4 million foreign visitors arrived in Mexico during the January-March 2013 period, the secretariat said, citing National Migration Institute, or INM, figures.
The number of tourists from the United States rose from 1.8 million in the first quarter of 2013 to 2 million during the January-March 2014 period, marking an increase of 12.3 percent.
Canada accounted for 765,700 visitors in the first quarter, up 6.9 percent from the same period last year.
Tourist arrivals from Britain totaled 84,400 in the first quarter, up 3 percent from the same period in 2013, the secretariat said.
Tourist arrivals from several countries posted strong gains, with visitors from China up 32 percent, while tourist arrivals from Venezuela rose 16.3 percent and those from Colombia increased 15.3 percent.
The number of visitors from Peru rose 7.2 percent, while tourist arrivals from Russia ticked up 3.9 percent, the secretariat said.
Mexico welcomed 23.7 million foreign tourists in 2013, generating revenues of $13.81 billion, government figures show.
Tourism accounts for about 9 percent of Mexico’s GDP and ranks as the No. 3 source of foreign exchange, trailing only the oil industry and remittances.
The Mexican tourism industry directly employs about 2.5 million people.
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