Yucatan Archaeological Zones received almost 300 thousand visitors in January

Currently, 8 of the 17 archaeological sites open to the public are in operation, so nine remain closed, as part of the preventive measures to stop the spread of Covid-19.

(MERIDA, YUC. – INAH).- Archaeological tourism in Yucatan is recovering remarkably, since just last January, nearly 300,000 people entered sites open to the public, an increase of 160 percent compared to to the same period of 2021, revealed the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

Chichén Itzá was the pre-Columbian city with the highest influx in the country, while the Regional Museum of Anthropology and History “Palacio Cantón” was ranked among the 10 most visited in the country.

According to the INAH, last January, 934 thousand 807 people entered the museums and archaeological zones of the country, with a growth of 188.9 percent compared to the first month of the previous year, when the sum was 323 thousand 549 tourists.

In the case of Yucatan, the arrival of archaeological and museum tourism was 291 thousand 623 people, with an increase of 158.9 percent compared to 2021, when 112 thousand 624 walkers arrived at the sites of interest open to the public Of the entity.

Of the total number of visitors, 291 thousand 623 went to the areas of archaeological monuments and three thousand 132 people entered the Regional Museum of Anthropology and History “Palacio Cantón”, which ranked tenth national in influx, 1.68 percent of the total country.

Likewise, of the total number of passers-by, 149 thousand 561 were nationals, 50.7 percent, and 145 thousand 194 foreigners, 49.3 percent.

The most visited

At the national level, Chichen Itza is the most visited archaeological heritage zone with 231,468 visitors, 30.95 percent of the total, followed by Teotihuacan, in the State of Mexico, with 124,412 people, 16.63 percent, and Tulum, in Quintana Roo, with 114,187 tourists, 15.27 percent.

Of the total archaeological tourism in the State, 79.4 percent of archaeological tourism went to Chichen Itza, followed by Uxmal, with 22 thousand 182 people, 7.6 percent; Ek’Balam, with 17,713 walkers, 6.1 percent.

Likewise, Dzibilchaltún received 6,884 visitors, 2.4 percent, and Mayapán, with 5,787 tourists, 2 percent.
Similarly, Xkambó, with two thousand 595 walkers, 0.89 percent; Kabah, with 2,579 visitors, 0.88 percent, and Izamal, with 2,415 tourists, 0.83 percent.

After the closure of the sites as a result of Covid-19, on March 23, 2020, nine pre-Hispanic cities and places of interest are still not open to tourism, specifically, Acanceh, Aké, Chacmultún, Grutas de Balamcanché, Grutas de Loltún, Labná, Oxkintok, Sayil and Xlapac.

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