Have you noticed the new advertising campaign for travel to Mexico? It’s working well! Tourism to the country jumped up 20% from the same time period last year due to a number of factors including the new ad campaign. Analysts expect the rise in tourism to increase as the Mexican economy continues to recover from the recession of 2009.

The Mexico tourism board began a campaign in July of 2010 with the tagline “Mexico, the place you thought you knew.” Targeting vacationers in both the United States and Canada, the ads focused on the rich diversity of the country. Rather than center around the typical beach destinations that many people think of, the campaign included highlights of snorkeling, jungle explorations, caves, cultural heritage and upscale amenities.

For example, one television spot focused on an upscale young couple spending the weekend in Mexico, touring historic sites, attending a concert and exploring the city. The woman’s voice over explains that this was the weekend they were supposed to do little things around the house – instead they spent it obviously enjoying a wonderful time in Mexico.

The ads ran in print media, television and on billboards across both countries. And tourists responded. In the first eight months of 2010, 7.1 million foreign travelers came into Mexico which represented nearly a 20% increase from last year. According the Los Angeles Times, 4.33 million were from the U.S., 1.3 million came from Canada and just over 200,000 traveled in from Spain.

Specific areas of Mexico saw larger than average increases. Travel to Cancun was up 31% from last year and Cabo San Lucas saw 30% more visitors. Alfonso Sumano, regional director for the Mexico Tourism Board for the Americas stated that the resorts are ready for more visitors.