THE 7 TYPES OF TOURISM IN MEXICO AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

The main types of tourism in Mexico positively influence the country's economy and are beach and free time, cultural, archaeological and religious.

This nation has several areas that are attractive to tourists: beaches, archaeological sites, colonial cities, nature reserves, modern architectural samples, and places and structures that constitute cultural heritage according to UNESCO.

Mexican traditions and cultural and historical richness are elements that attract the attention of tourists from all over the world. The Day of the Dead is one of the most popular festivals in the country, attracting visitors from around the globe.

Likewise, Mexico was the cradle of several pre-Hispanic civilizations, among which the Aztecs, the Mayas, the Olmecs, the Zapotecs and the Mixtecs stand out.

Today, vestiges of these civilizations still exist, which is of interest to many people.

For these reasons, Mexico is the second most visited country in the American continent, according to what is stated by the World Tourism Organization.

List of types of tourism in Mexico

Beach tourism and free time

Mexico is one of the most visited tourist destinations every year by tourists from all over the world; Cancun.

In Cancun, Riviera Maya and islands such as Isla Mujeres or Cozumel there are hundreds of hotels where tourists come to enjoy the beautiful beaches, the quality of the hotels and activities such as snorkeling, diving, kayaking or simply enjoy a massage or sunbathing.

Other well-known beach destinations are Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco or Loreto.

Archaeological tourism

In south-central Mexico, there are a series of ruins and archaeological cities that account for the existence of aboriginal civilizations before the arrival of Europeans to America. These areas represent one of the country's greatest attractions.

In the Yucatan peninsula, there are remains of the Mayan civilization. The most popular ruins are those found in the eastern part of the peninsula, which are known by the name of Ruta Puuc (or Ruta Maya).

To the northeast of the Mayan Route are the remains of the city of Mayapán. Other ruins present in the Yucatan peninsula are those of Tulum on the east coast, those of Cobá and those of Calakmul.

In Oaxaca, there are the ruins of Mitla and Monte Albán, remains of the Zapotec civilization.

In the state of Veracruz, there are more archaeological sites, among which the Tres Zapotes ceremonial center (which is a memory of the Olmec culture), the Pyramid of the Niches and the ruins of Zempoala stand out.

Here is also the Museum of Anthropology, which houses a collection of the famous Olmec heads, samples of the sculpture of this civilization.

South of Mexico City, are the ruins of Teotihuacán. For its part, north of the capital of the country, is Tula, the center of the ancient Toltec empire.

In this archaeological city, there are the Atlanteans of Tula, four large figures made in honor of Quetzalcóatl.

cultural tourism

The south-central regions of Mexico were the scene in which various pre-Hispanic civilizations developed, such as the Aztec, the Mayan, the Olmec, the Zapotec and the Mixtec.

Today, aboriginal groups can still be found in different parts of the Mexican territory. For example, in the Yucatan peninsula and in Oaxaca there are reservations of Mayan groups.

Some tourists are attracted by the way of life of these indigenous groups, which makes Mexico become a tourist center for its cultural diversity.

In addition, in these areas, you can find popular markets where aboriginal handicrafts are sold, such as woven rugs, black ceramic pots, among other products.

Parties and celebrations

Mexican celebrations and festivities also attract tourists. For example, the Guelaguetza is an annual festival celebrated in Oaxaca. It is a festival of aboriginal music and dance, which allows to preserve the traditions of the indigenous peoples.

The Day of the Dead, celebrated at the beginning of November, is another of the Mexican festivities recognized worldwide.

The joy, the color and the spirit of communion with the deceased that characterize these festivities have made people flock to observe Mexican practices closely.

Religious tourism

Mexico is a Catholic nation par excellence, which attracts pilgrims from around the globe. Many visitors go to Mexico moved by the country's Christian festivities as well as by the religious architecture.

From colonial times, the Catholic Church designated a series of holidays that made up the liturgical calendar of any secular nation. These include Holy Week and the Virgin of Guadalupe who is the patron saint of Mexico.

Historic-colonial tourism

In Mexico, there are a series of colonial and historical cities, visited by both Mexican tourists and foreign tourists. Some of these cities are:

- Campeche, the walled city of Mexico. This constitutes the world's cultural heritage according to UNESCO.

- Guanajuato, a colonial city that is also a world cultural heritage.

- Mérida, a city that remembers the Mayan traditions.

- San Miguel de Allende is one of the oldest Mexican cities. It represents an attraction for tourists due to its religious buildings.

- Mexico City, which has been the capital of the State for almost 700 years. Due to its historical, cultural and architectural richness, it has been named a cultural heritage site by UNESCO.

- San Luis Potosí, a city known for its mines. This city was the capital of Mexico on two occasions, so it has historical importance for tourists.

- Querétaro, a city that was declared a cultural heritage for its baroque centers. In it is the third largest monolith in the world, Peña Bernal.

Gastronomic tourism

Mexican cuisine was named intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.

The mixture of strong flavors that characterizes the country's cuisine makes each year hundreds of tourists follow the gastronomic route, visiting each state to try the typical dishes of the region.

Ecotourism

In recent years, the Mexican government has promoted ecotourism, which is a way to visit ecological sites and interact with nature without damaging it.

UNESCO has established a number of regions as biosphere reserves and many of these are regularly visited by tourists. Some of these protected areas are:

- The snowcapped

- The rosary

- The Bufadora

- El Cielo Biosphere Reserve

- Sierra de Órganos National Park

- Sierra San Pedro Mártir National Park

- Copper Canyon

References

1. 12 Top-Rated Places to Visit in Mexico. Retrieved on October 17, 2017, from planetware.com
2. 25 Top Tourist Attractions in Mexico. Retrieved on October 17, 2017, from touropia.com
3. Information about Mexico. Retrieved on October 17, 2017, from explorandomexico.com
4. Tourism in Mexico. Retrieved on October 17, 2017, from wikipedia.org
5. Tourism in Mexico. Retrieved on October 17, 2017, from martinprosperity.org
6. Traditional Mexican Culture. Retrieved on October 17, 2017, from traditional-mexican-culture.com
7. Visit Mexico. Retrieved on October 17, 2017, from visitmexico.com