PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) – In a remarkable post-pandemic rebound, Puerto Vallarta has welcomed more than 3 million passengers by air this year, nearly half a million of whom arrived in May alone.
Passenger Traffic on the Rise
According to data from the Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), which manages the air terminal at this tourist hotspot, Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta has been on an upward trend this year. In May, the airport saw a one percent increase in passenger numbers compared to the same period last year.
Despite this figure placing it among the GAP-operated terminals with the least progress in that period, the Vallarta airport served 494,100 passengers in May alone. This figure significantly contrasts the 489,000 passengers registered in May 2022.
Year-to-Date Passenger Growth
Accumulatively, during the first five months of the year, the airport’s passenger numbers have risen to 3,154,800, marking a 20.4 percent increase over the same period last year.
Of the total number of passengers recorded in May, 237,900 were on domestic flights, representing a 2.1 percent increase compared to the same month in 2022 when there were 233,100 domestic passengers. Cumulatively, for the first five months of the year, there are 1,137,600 domestic passengers, reflecting an 18.5 percent increase over last year.
International Visitors Flocking to Puerto Vallarta
In May, the city also received 256,200 passengers on international flights, a marginal 0.1 percent increase from the 255,900 international passengers registered in May 2022. However, from January to May 2023, international passenger numbers reached 2,017,100, marking a 21.4 percent increase from the previous year.
The robust recovery of Puerto Vallarta’s air traffic indicates the resilience of its tourism industry and its appeal to both domestic and international travelers. The city continues to be a major draw for tourists, underlining its role as a key player in Mexico’s tourism sector recovery in the wake of the global pandemic.
