Latinos’ Impact in the United States / Mayan Train Assessment

Mayan Train Assessment. Óscar Lozano, Director General, Mayan Train, reported that after 398 days of operation, the Mayan Train has transported approximately 790,000 passengers, surpassing its initial target of 700,000. The project aims to reach 1.2 million passengers by the end of 2025. Of the 791,730 tickets sold as of Jan. 20, 2025, around 500,427 were purchased at ticket counters across various stations, while the remainder were sold online.

Key stations with the highest ticket sales include Merida, Cancun Airport, and Playa del Carmen. The winter season 2024 recorded the highest passenger turnout, with 111,851 tickets sold and a daily average of 3,608 passengers. In December 2024, two trains with seven cars each, capable of accommodating 426 passengers per train, were introduced for commercial use.

Grupo GAFSACOMM Assesment. General Adolfo Velasco, Director, Olmeca-Maya-Mexica Airport, Railway, Auxiliary Services, and Related Group (GAFSACOMM), reported the company generated MX$3.54 billion (US$173.2 million) during the 2024 winter season. The company introduced promotional and tourist packages priced between MX$12,098 and MX$21,000, with price differences of up to 189% compared to commercial hotels. 

Mexicana de Aviación. Leobardo Ávila, Director, Mexicana de Aviación, reported that in 2024, the airline operated 18 destinations and transported 384,162 passengers, achieving a growth rate of 43%. For 2025, the fleet will include new Embraer aircraft to target the transport of over 500,000 passengers. The airline updated its business plan to incorporate the new fleet and ended a service contract to focus on routes with higher demand, like Ixtepec, Palenque, and Ciudad Victoria. Starting Jan. 6, route adjustments were made based on market dynamics and seasonality, focusing on high-demand routes not served by other airlines.

In April 2025, the number of destinations will expand to 14, including Monterrey and Puerto Vallarta. The airline reported a 91% customer satisfaction rate and achieved 98.8% on-time departures from AIFA. Additionally, strategic alliances with various companies and over 100 international digital agencies have enhanced its global presence.

Latinos’ Impact in the United States. Ana Valdez, President and CEO, Latino Donor Collaborative, highlighted the contributions of the Latino community in the United States, with over 60% of them coming from Mexico. Latinos, who make up 19.5% of the population, are the second-largest demographic group in the country, after Anglo-Saxons. With 84.4% speaking English and 80% being US citizens or residents with legal status, they are the youngest population group, with the segment aged 12 years old being the largest one and an average age of 30.7 years.

The Latino community generates US$3.6 trillion in goods and services annually, meaning that if they were a country, they would be the fifth-largest economy globally. Their purchasing power reached US$3.7 trillion, growing 2.5 times faster than the global average. The population of 63 million Latinos produces more economic output than India. They also represent 18.5% of the beauty industry’s revenue and own 4.7 million businesses contributing US$800 billion to local economies, with 463,000 of these businesses employing 3.5 million people.

Latinos accounted for 78% of the new labor force in the United States, driving 48.8% growth in industrial output in 2022. Nearly half of all new homes are purchased by Latinos, and their electoral influence was 14.7% in the 2022 elections. This influence is expected to grow, with 30% of babies born in the United States being Latino, likely shaping elections by 2043. Deportation of Latinos, according to Valdez, would have significant negative economic consequences. Only the GDP generated by Mexicans in the United States stands at US$2.6 trillion.