5 days ago
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- Travel Daily News
Five key trends shaping Latin America 's tourism growth
During LATA Expo 2025, Mabrian shared insights on six key destinations in Latin America – Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador – that represent 86% of the region's 76.4 million international arrivals in 2024, according to UN Tourism.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – Latin America's international tourism landscape is evolving, driven by five strategic trends identified by Mabrian, the global travel intelligence platform part of The Data Appeal Company – Almawave Group, during LATA Expo 2025. To uncover key trends shaping tourism in these regional powerhouses – Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador -, a cross-analysis was carried out, combining consolidated tourism demand data with forecasted air connectivity. The aim was to identify both structural and cyclical demand patterns and explore the opportunities and challenges ahead for each destination in Latin America.
Trend #1. Air Connectivity: Optimising to Drive Growth: Diverse realities in air connectivity emerge according to seats availability 2025 forecast. Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina are expanding domestic and international routes, Costa Rica remains heavily focused on international connectivity, with 95% of its seat availability targeting inbound visitors. As per Peru and Ecuador, data shows that international air capacity is being optimised to focus on more traditional, stable short and long-haul markets, with less exposure to more volatile ones like the U.S.
Trend #2. Elevating Authenticity through Product Development: Tourist satisfaction remains strong, with Ecuador, Peru, and Costa Rica scoring above 80/100 in Mabrian's Global Tourist Perception Index, whereas Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil achieve positive scores, around 70/100. Safety perceptions are also high across the board, signaling that these destinations are managing to create an environment where travellers feel safe and secure. However, product satisfaction scores- ranging from 65 to 71 out of 100 possible – highlight the need to further enhance cultural authenticity and service quality to meet global expectations, a strategy which will contribute to supporting local economies.
Trend #3. Building Stable Demand Mitigating Seasonal Patterns: With the exception of Peru, all destinations benefit from multiple seasonal peaks. For example, Mexico and Ecuador see demand surges in November – December and again mid-year, linked to North American and European holidays. This model allows for targeted promotions during shoulder seasons with specific promotions and campaigns, helping spread visitor flows and reduce pressure on infrastructure.
Trend #4. Cultural Appeal to Build Layered Experiences: Cultural experiences are a key demand driver to visit Latin America and these destinations – especially in Argentina and Brazil – while Costa Rica stands out for nature-based travel. Cultural tourism given advantage for these Latin American destinations fosters deeper engagement and longer stays, a competitive edge to create layered experiences with other strong demand drivers, to build more varied, customised, and satisfying tourist products and services, while creating sustainable economic benefits.
Trend #5. Micro-Journeys & Lodging Trends: Personalising the Experience: According to Mabrian data, couples make up the majority of tourists visiting these countries, especially in Costa Rica (43%) and Ecuador (36%), while families dominate in Mexico and Brazil. Peru and Ecuador also see a significant number of solo travellers (25%), highlighting opportunities to cater to this segment, currently less budget conscious and more oriented to well-being and self-discovery. In terms of accommodation preferences, hotels remain dominant in Mexico and Brazil, but vacation rentals are prevalent in Argentina (43%), while Costa Rica and Peru offer a wide range of alternatives, reflecting the variety of experiences and traveller types. These insights signal an opportunity to customise travel experiences, building micro-itineraries tailored to different travellers' segments, as identified by the study: Active Families (seeking affordable and convenient accommodation with family-friendly activities), Adventure Seekers (typically travelling solo or in small groups, motivated by active tourism), and Exploring Couples (drawn by culture, nature, and gastronomy, and often looking for luxury retreats while exploring key attractions).
'The data confirms that Latin America is not only rich in natural and cultural assets but is also maturing strategically as a tourism region,' said Mary Menchón, Business Development Lead at Mabrian. 'By aligning air connectivity, diversifying tourist offerings, and tapping into authentic, multi-layered experiences, these destinations are actively shaping more resilient and competitive travel ecosystems. This kind of insight is crucial for industry leaders looking to invest wisely and sustainably in the region's future.'
