MEXICO CITY – Chinese tourist arrivals to Mexico grew 35.1 percent in the first quarter of 2013 over the same period last year, the Tourism Secretariat said Tuesday.

From January to April, “Mexico received 19,635 tourists coming from China,” the secretariat said in a communique.

The favorite destinations of Chinese visitors are Mexico City, Cancun, Tijuana, Guadalajara, Los Cabos, Monterrey and Puerto Vallarta.

Of all the tourists, 54 percent traveled to Mexico for recreational purposes, and in that group 69 percent bought package tours with everything included at four- and five-star hotels for vacations of from five to seven days, spending an average of $2,000 to $4,000 during their stay.

The secretariat noted that Mexico “occupies second place in the world” in a classification of luxury destinations, something that is a great attraction for Chinese visitors, who “love shopping” and who particularly like the fact that it’s a tax-free destination.

The World Tourism Organization estimates that in 2015 some 100 million Chinese will travel abroad.

Chinese President Xi Jinping begins Tuesday a three-day state visit to Mexico that will include a tour of Mayan ruins in the Yucatan peninsula. EFE