The entry of tourists arriving to Mexico has been expedited by the use of modern technologies. The Secretary of Tourism of the Government of Mexico says these modern technologies in Cancun has made it possible to reduce wait times from nearly three hours to just seven minutes.

Tourism Secretary Miguel Torruco Marqués said in response to a demand from the sector, they have proposed modifying Article 35 of the Migration Law to allow the use of technological tools in all major airports to speed up the entry of tourists.

He explained that the reform was published in the DOF on April 29, 2022 at which time, a pilot project was implemented at the Cancun Airport. That pilot project reduced the wait from 2 hours and 45 minutes per person, to just seven minutes during peak hours.

Torruco Marqués said under instructions from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, he was tasked with providing a solution to expedite entry into the country and avoid the recurring “bottlenecks” at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and Cancún, as well as those in Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Tijuana, which represent 90 percent of the in-bound arrivals.

Various agencies including the Ministries of the Interior, Foreign Affairs, the National Migration Institute (INM) as well as the President of the Hotel Association of Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres, were asked to present the proposal to modify Article 35 of the Migration Law with the purpose of allowing the use of automated technological tools to expedite and facilitate entry.

This proposal was sent through the then president of the Tourism Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, Luis Alegre Salazar (RIP), which was approved unanimously by both Chambers and published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) on April 29, 2022, thus addressing a widespread demand from the sector for more than 25 years.

He indicated that from then, meetings were held with the INM to monitor progress, the Operation Manual was drawn up and the pilot plan was achieved at the Cancun airport where the wait was reduced.

He stated that starting in December 2022, the INM implemented Autonomous Migration Filters (FMA) at the International Airports of Mexico City and Cancun. Starting in May 2024, at the Los Cabos International Airport and at the Guadalajara International Airport starting in August 2024. They are also already operating at the Puerto Vallarta International Airport.

Torruco Marqués stressed the importance of an initiative from Sectur that has given way to modernity in the country’s airports, leaving only Tijuana, operated by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), and Monterrey, managed by Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte (OMA), the latter being urged to implement these measures so that it is the same in all airports.

The Secretary of Tourism reported that, in 2023, the Cancun Airport received 10.4 million international tourists, being the main air destination in the country. From January to July 2024, 6.2 million international tourists arrived at the Cancun Airport, exceeding by 0.9% what was registered in the same period of 2023.