SANTA FE – New Mexico set a record for direct visitor spending of $8.6 billion in 2023, surpassing the previous record of $8.3 billion set in 2022.
According to the New Mexico Tourism Department’s (NMTD) annual economic impact report, the 3.8 percent increase in visitor spending was fueled by an estimated 41.8 million visitors to New Mexico in 2023.
One of the most significant insights from the report was the increase in international visitation. According to the report, New Mexico welcomed an estimated 680,000 international visitors in 2023, which represents a 34 percent increase from 2022 and matches the pre-pandemic level the state saw in 2019. Collectively, international visitors spent an estimated $607 million during their trips to New Mexico in 2023. For context, the average domestic visitor spent $194 per trip to New Mexico in 2023 whereas the average international visitor spent $898 per trip.
According to inbound travel forecasts from Brand USA, international travel to the United States is projected to reach 98 percent of 2019 visitor volume numbers in 2024 and surpass pre-pandemic visitor volume by 2025. New Mexico meeting its own pre-pandemic levels of international visitor volume by 2023 demonstrates that the Land of Enchantment is outperforming the U.S. average in international visitation recovery.
“Witnessing such a sharp increase of international visitation, along with another boost in overall visitor spending, is an encouraging sign that the awareness and appeal of New Mexico as a leisure travel destination continues to grow,” said Acting Secretary Lancing Adams. “With the Route 66 Centennial on the horizon in 2026, New Mexico is well-positioned to become a trending destination for visitors both domestically and internationally.”
Direct visitor spending in 2023 supported an estimated 72,008 jobs in New Mexico, representing a 2.2 percent increase from 2022. Overall, the total economic impact of tourism in 2023 generated $811 million in state and local taxes for New Mexico. Because of this, visitor spending reduced the tax burden on each New Mexico household by $997.
Visitor spending in the categories of lodging, recreation and food and beverage all increased in 2023 compared to 2022. In total, visitors spent $2.7 billion on lodging, 2 billion on food and beverage and $1.1 billion on recreation in 2023.