For the upcoming long weekend, from March 13th to 16th, 75,000 tourists are expected to visit the state, with hotel occupancy reaching 60 percent.
During this holiday period (due to Benito Juárez’s birthday on March 21st), tourism activity is projected to generate an economic impact of 300 to 400 million pesos, estimated Cristofer Merlos Montes, Director of Administration for the Querétaro Tourism Secretariat.
The destinations with the highest expectations for the long weekend are the Art, Cheese, and Wine Route, as well as the Magical Towns of Tequisquiapan and Bernal, Ezequiel Montes.
This long weekend will mark the first peak tourist season of the month. The second is the spring equinox, expected during the third week of March, and the state is projected to receive between 50,000 and 55,000 visitors, representing 55% occupancy and an economic impact of 150 million pesos.
“We have two important seasons around this time. First is the official long weekend from the 13th to the 16th. During this weekend, we expect approximately 75,000 tourists in the state. (…) But for this particular weekend (of the equinox), numbers will drop slightly since it’s not a long weekend. We expect between 50,000 and 55,000 visitors in Querétaro,” he predicted.
For the spring equinox (March 20th), the most popular destinations are Bernal, home to the third largest monolith in the world, and the El Cerrito Archaeological Zone, located in Corregidora. A large influx of tourists is also expected in Tolimán, a municipality preparing a program with diverse activities.
During the equinox, the Metropolitan Area absorbs almost 40% of tourism, and the semi-desert region around 60%. The majority of tourists are domestic, primarily from Mexico City; however, he added that the participation of international visitors has strengthened over the last 10 years.
One of the state agency’s objectives, the official added, is to boost tourism in smaller destinations within the state, as well as promote wine tourism, romance tourism, and other related activities.
In parallel, the Ministry of Tourism will design a promotional campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. During that time, there will be events related to the World Cup.
During the friendly match between the Mexican and Icelandic national teams on February 25, the state saw hotel occupancy rates reach 55 to 60%, a significant increase given that weekday occupancy hovers around 25%, Cristofer Merlos explained.
Regarding the effects of the operation carried out by federal forces in Jalisco on February 22 and its impact on tourism in Querétaro, the director noted that hotel associations did not report a significant decrease. Tourist guides and information centers provided assistance to travelers who reported bus delays.
In 2025, the state received 24.2 million tourists, representing a nearly 10% increase, which translated into a 60% occupancy rate and generated an economic impact of 33.8 billion pesos, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
Source: eleconomista
