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MEXICO CITY, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Mexico is the number one global destination for the arrival of international tourists by cruise ship, reaching over 6.4 million passengers in 2017 so far, Mexican Minister of Tourism Enrique de la Madrid said on Monday.

In a statement, the minister said that cruise ship tourism creates "an important regional economy" in Mexico and it could help develop new destinations in the country mainly in eastern and southern coasts.

De la Madrid made this announcement after meeting with members of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) to discuss investment projects to develop new ports and infrastructure as well as better services for arriving tourists.

"We want to increase the number of cruise ship passengers, we want to intensify and diversify other areas," added the minister.

Michelle Paige, president of the FCCA, agreed that cruise ship tourism should be an engine for Mexican industry as well as improve the quality of life for residents in those destinations.

Paige added that entrepreneurs in the sectors were seeking to extend their tourism services, in partnership with the federal government and the Mexican people.

FCCA data shows that Mexico's island of Cozumel is the number one destination in the world for cruise ship tourists, with over 3.6 million tourists arriving in 2017 so far.