The Mexican Restaurant Association (AMR) and the Mexican Federation of Tourism Associations (Fematur) have expressed skepticism regarding the federal government's ambitious target of attracting 5 million foreign tourists during the upcoming World Cup. The president of AMR, Hugo Vela, stated that expectations might be overly optimistic, particularly as the tournament will be co-hosted with the United States and Canada, which could limit Mexico's tourism numbers compared to previous editions.

During a conference, Vela indicated that the most realistic estimate for foreign tourist arrivals in Mexico related to the World Cup would range between 2.5 million and 3 million. He articulated concerns that the distribution of matches across three host countries would dilute the influx of travelers to Mexico. For instance, for matches at Estadio Azteca (also known as Estadio México), he projected that attendance could reach around 400,000 people, and when considering additional travelers accompanying attendees, this could yield around 1.2 million international tourists.

The discontent from these organizations highlights the potential challenges Mexico faces in fully capitalizing on the World Cup as a tourism magnet. As such, stakeholders are calling for more pragmatic assessments and actions rather than relying on what they deem an overambitious goal. The tourism sector's reaction underscores the broader implications for local economies that are poised to benefit from international visitors during major events, specifically in a multi-host scenario that complicates logistics and visitor distribution.