On Saturday (November 1), Mexico celebrated the traditional Dia de los Muertos. One of the country’s main cultural dates, similar to All Souls’ Day in Brazil, the occasion brings together thousands of people, who fill avenues such as Paseo de la Reforma, in Mexico City. Most are painted like the iconic figure of La Catrina, the elegant skull that became a symbol of the party at the beginning of the 20th century. The parade brought together orange cempasúchil flowers, pre-Hispanic motifs, costumes with feathers, figures from popular culture and even a float with wheelchair users, in an open-air spectacle.
Although deeply symbolic and linked to the memory of loved ones, the celebration has a growing economic impact. According to a survey by Concanaco‑Servytur, the 2025 edition is expected to generate around 49.5 billion pesos in commercial activity in the country, a growth of 9.2% compared to the previous year. The value is equivalent to almost R$14.5 billion.
In addition to tourism, which already represents around 9% of Mexico’s GDP and supports 4.5 million direct jobs, the festival boosts sectors such as floriculture (especially the cultivation of cempasúchil, considered “the flower of the dead”), traditional gastronomy, costume and decoration trade, and accommodation and transport services.
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Tradition and economy
The origin of Dia de los Muertos refers to a syncretism between indigenous harvest rituals and ancestor worship, and the Catholic celebrations of All Saints and All Souls. The figure of Catrina, created by Mexican engraver José Guadalupe Posada and later named by Diego Rivera, satirized the Mexican elite who abandoned their indigenous roots.
Today, the event gains global projection and exports image and tourism. Research indicates that the average expenditure of Mexican families on the celebration varies between 1,100 and 1,500 pesos, and that the prices of candles, flowers and decoration have jumped by up to 30% recently.
Even with strong dynamism, there are warnings such as climate change that threatens the production of the cempasúchil flower, which has already recorded losses of up to 50% in plantations in 2025, which compromises an important part of the festival’s economic chain.
