An expanded gateway in Tepic
International routes now connect Tepic-Riviera Nayarit International Airport (TPQ) with cities including Los Angeles, Houston, Calgary and Vancouver. Arriving in the state capital places travelers closer to inland destinations, allowing a trip to start with Tepic, mountain landscapes, colonial towns, coffee country or the historic port of San Blas before moving to the coast.
The airport's modernization includes a new passenger terminal, expansion of the runway and apron, and an air traffic control tower approximately 141 feet tall. Mexico's federal Proyectos México program estimates the investment at MX$4.13 billion, or about US$220 million. As of July 2026, the terminal was about 80% complete, according to Nayarit tourism minister Juan Enrique Suárez, as reported by Mexico Business News.
Federal authorities project about 500,000 passengers in the first year under the expanded operating model, with eventual capacity of approximately 4 million annually. Existing traffic is also growing: Mexico's Ministry of Tourism, SECTUR, reported 2,395 flights from January through April 2026, up 21.3% from the same period in 2025. Passenger numbers reached 91,639, an increase of nearly 60%.
Road access is part of the modernization program. A new 26-kilometer Tepic-Compostela highway is expected to shorten that journey from about 50 minutes to 20 minutes and put the Tepic and Puerto Vallarta airports roughly one hour and 15 minutes apart.
United Airlines began Saturday-only nonstop flights from Houston (IAH) on December 20, 2025, introducing the first U.S. carrier route to Tepic, according to Marriott International News.
Coastal resorts scheduled for 2027
The next group of planned hotel openings follows the recent arrivals of Rosewood Mandarina and Siari, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Siari occupies part of the private, 920-acre Nauka enclave, with 91 accommodations, including a five-bedroom Presidential Estate, plus 34 private residences along 4.3 miles of coastline. Marriott International News puts the resort about 35 minutes from Tepic International Airport and 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta International Airport.
Omni Hotels & Resorts plans to introduce its first luxury resort in Mexico in spring 2027. Set on 50 oceanfront acres, Omni Pontoque Resort at Punta de Mita is scheduled to offer 202 guestrooms plus junior suites, suites and four-bedroom villas. Plans also include pools and a spa measuring approximately 11,000 square feet.
Within the 1,500-acre Punta Mita master-planned community, Montage Punta Mita is targeting a 2027 opening with 145 guestrooms and 62 Montage Residences. Multiple dining concepts, pools and a signature spa are also planned. Montage International says construction began in March 2025, when residence sales launched at prices starting at US$5 million. Sister property Pendry Punta Mita is likewise slated for 2027, with 125 guestrooms and 32 Pendry Residences.
Farther north, Milaroca, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Nayarit is another anticipated 2027 opening. Belmond's plans cover a 105-acre estate with a protected, two-kilometer beach about 40 minutes by car from Puerto Vallarta International Airport. Its 57 guest pavilions include 12 three-bedroom villas; a separate collection comprises 27 invitation-only private villas. An on-site organic farm will supply six dining venues, while leisure facilities will include four outdoor pools and a wellness center.
A theme park rollout and an events calendar
For families and multigenerational groups, BON Luxury Theme Park adds another option at VidantaWorld in Nuevo Nayarit. VidantaWorld says the approximately US$1.5 billion park began a guest-only soft opening on October 24, 2026. Public admission is scheduled to begin in April 2027, with seven themed worlds opening in stages through December 2027 and more than 20 attractions planned.
BON operates Tuesday through Saturday evenings with deliberately limited nightly capacity. Its attractions and immersive entertainment sit alongside restaurants, elaborate landscaping and resort amenities within the larger VidantaWorld complex. A stay can combine the park with dining and resort time, as well as outings to the San Blas mangroves, inland towns or surf lessons in Sayulita.
Cycling joins the calendar on April 17, 2027, when Nuevo Nayarit hosts the RBC GranFondo Riviera Nayarit race weekend. The event is part of a broader sports tourism effort encompassing golf, sailing, running, paragliding and surfing.
Sayulita enters its first full year as a recognized Surf City in 2027, having received the designation in late 2026. Nearby San Pancho and Punta de Mita provide additional surf breaks. Sayulita Pride will feature a march, performances, educational and cultural programming, and community events; its 2027 dates are expected to be announced closer to the event.
Coffee country, cultural visits and island history
Nayarit's inland stops offer a different itinerary from its resort coast. The state has nine Pueblos Magicos, a Mexican tourism designation recognizing qualities such as history, traditions, architecture and culture. Around Compostela, visitors can meet coffee producers in the hills. Jala, beneath the Ceboruco volcano, offers traditional sweets, regional spirits and unusually large ears of corn. Mexcaltitan is a small island community encircled by wetlands.
Community-based tourism programs hosted by the Wixarika people bring together art, storytelling, food and traditions. Their beadwork and yarn art incorporate symbolism connected to their worldview. Food also varies along the route: coastal meals feature pescado zarandeado, shrimp, oysters and ceviches, while Tepic offers markets and traditional cooks.
A boat trip reaches the Islas Marias, where a federal penal colony was established in 1905. The islands now welcome environmental, historical and cultural tourism within the Islas Marias Biosphere Reserve, which belongs to UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Combining resort stays with quieter destinations
The mix of coastal hotels and less familiar stops aligns with preferences recorded in a Global Rescue traveler survey released in 2026: 52% of respondents favored lesser-known international destinations with fewer crowds, while 12% preferred established tourism hubs. Separately, Virtuoso's 2027 Luxe Report identifies privacy as an influence on high-end travel and notes that social media can rapidly turn little-known destinations into crowded must-sees.
For travel advisors, one option is to combine a planned 2027 resort opening in Punta de Mita or at Milaroca with visits to Compostela's coffee-growing areas, Jala, Mexcaltitan or the Islas Marias. Routing through Tepic places the inland towns within easier reach.
