MEXICO CITY – The Mexican tourism sector’s gross domestic product rose 2.1 percent in the first quarter of 2013 relative to the same three-month period of last year, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) said.

The agency, which did not provide accumulated figures for the year, said the increase was due to higher demand for tourist services.

Between January and March, foreign and domestic tourism consumption in Mexico climbed 2.2 percent compared to the same period of 2012, INEGI said in a statement.

By components, domestic tourism consumption rose by 2.7 percent in the first quarter, while expenditures by foreign visitors fell by 0.8 percent in the same period.

Output of services offered to domestic and foreign tourists was up 2.8 percent in the first quarter, contributing most to the higher tourism GDP figure.

Mexico’s tourism industry served 23 million international visitors and 178 million domestic tourists and posted more than $11 billion in revenue last year.

Tourism accounts for roughly 9 percent of Mexico’s overall GDP, is the third-leading source of hard currency after oil revenues and remittances and provides direct employment to 2.5 million people.

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