The main economic activities of Guerrero are tourism, agriculture and livestock. The consumption of products related to tourism also stands out.
The rest of the activities are much less developed. Trade is unevenly established and fisheries are now trying to acquire greater importance.
The state of Guerrero is in a medium-low position in relation to its gross domestic product (GDP) when compared to the rest of those that make up the United Mexican States.
Official data states that in 2011 it was number 23 out of 31 states.
The exception to these low figures is in the Acapulco area, thanks to the boost from tourism.
You may also be interested in the culture of Guerrrero or its traditions and customs.
The 5 main economic activities of Guerrero
1- Tourism
The economic activity that generates the highest income in the state is tourism, which contributes a high percentage of GDP.
The geographical location and the cultural attractions explain the great success of this area among national and foreign visitors.
The main tourist area forms the so-called Triángulo del Sol. This includes the area located between Acapulco, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo and Taxco.
Official data for 2016 confirm its great attraction capacity: 11,500,000 tourists plus 59 cruise ships visited that part of Guerrero. The approximate income is more than 30 million pesos a year.
The economic benefit is not limited to the money spent by visitors, but is a great source of job creation, with 140,000 workers.
In addition, it produces a great revitalization of the internal market, since many agricultural, livestock or fishing sectors benefit from the increase in sales.
2- Agriculture
Agriculture is another of the key economic sectors for the state economy, although most of the production is for internal use and not for export. Along with fishing, the data show that almost 800,000 people work in this sector.
The products that are most cultivated in Guerrero are corn, sesame, coffee and copra, of which it is the first national producer.
Guerrero is the second national producer of sesame and the third of cocoa and melon. Corn is the state's main crop, with almost half of its land dedicated to it.
The only area that has surpluses and can dedicate part of the production to export is the Tierra Caliente area.
3- Livestock
The importance of livestock is clearly seen in the data that indicates that 39% of its territory is dedicated to this activity.
The main production is beef, pork and cow's milk. Most are dedicated to their own consumption within the state, with little export capacity.
In recent years, a program is being developed to modernize this sector. Likewise, improved breeds and new production technologies are being introduced.
4-
The mining tradition of the state of Guerrero comes from the time of the conquest, although in recent decades it had lost part of its importance.
Even so, it is calculated that it is within the five Mexican states with the highest mining activity.
A plan is currently being developed to restore the splendor of this activity, which is to become the second in economic importance after tourism.
In 2015 there were 705 mining concessions, highlighting the gold mines with 71% of the total.
5- Trade
Slightly more than 50,000 people are engaged in commerce in the state of Guerrero. The majority in small markets with little economic impact on the general accounts.
The main products for export are agricultural, highlighting tropical fruits. The great foreign market is the United States, where handicrafts are also highly appreciated.
References
- Ministry of Economy. Warrior. Recovered from mim.promexico.gob.mx
- Mexican Geological Service. Mining Panorama of the State of Guerrero. Recovered from sgm.gob.mx
- Valenzuela, Ernesto; Coll-Hurtado Atlántida. The construction and evolution of the tourist space of Acapulco (Mexico). Recovered from magazines.ucm.es
- The Columbia Encyclopedia. Warrior. Retrieved from encyclopedia.com
- The Gold Report. Mexico's Guerrero Gold Belt, home of low-cost gold production and analyst Merrill McHenry's favorite miners. Retrieved from mining.com