In 2025, a major shift occurred in North American travel: **Mexico officially became the #1 source of international tourism to the United States**, surpassing Canada for the first time in recent history.

While overall international arrivals to the U.S. faced a decline (down roughly 6% in 2025), the Mexican market remained remarkably resilient, serving as the primary engine for the U.S. travel economy.

### The 2025 Leaderboard: Top Source Markets

Historically, Canada has been the undisputed leader in U.S. visitor volume. However, 2025 saw a divergence: Canadian arrivals dropped significantly (down over 20% in some forecasts), while Mexican arrivals grew by approximately **5.5% to 10%**.

| Rank | Country | 2025 Status | Key Trend |

| --- | --- | --- | --- |

| **1** | **Mexico** | **Leader** | Projected 18.5 million total arrivals. |

| **2** | **Canada** | **Declining** | Significant drop due to economic and policy friction. |

| **3** | **United Kingdom** | **Stable/Top Overseas** | Remained the strongest source from Europe. |

| **4** | **India** | **Rising** | Solidified its spot in the top 5, especially for business/family. |

| **5** | **Brazil** | **Strong** | Key driver for Florida and retail-heavy destinations. |

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### Why Mexico is Propelling US Tourism

The "Super Peso" and proximity have created a perfect storm for Mexican travel to the U.S.:

* **Purchasing Power:** A favorable exchange rate (the "Super Peso") made U.S. shopping, hotels, and dining significantly more affordable for Mexican families.

* **Aviation Connectivity:** Non-stop air capacity reached record highs, with expanded routes connecting Mexican regional hubs directly to U.S. cities like Houston, San Antonio, and Los Angeles.

* **The "VFR" Factor:** "Visiting Friends and Relatives" (VFR) remains a core pillar. Strong cross-border family ties ensure a steady flow of travelers regardless of global economic cooling.

* **Retail Tourism:** Mexican travelers are high-value visitors, often outspending other international markets in the retail and hospitality sectors during "short-haul" trips.

### A New Regional Landscape

While Mexico is sending record numbers to the U.S., the reverse is also true. **Mexico saw a record-breaking 79.3 million international visitors** by October 2025, with Americans making up over 11 million of those arrivals. This "tourism interdependence" has made the U.S.-Mexico border the busiest and most economically significant travel corridor in the world.

> **Note:** Cities like **San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Houston** have pivoted their marketing strategies significantly to focus on the Mexican "luxury and retail" segments to offset the loss of visitors from other regions.

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**Would you like me to look into the specific U.S. cities that saw the highest growth from Mexican tourists last year?**