#10 — Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico. Creative & Cultural Icons.

TGNA Creative Capital Score: 63 · ▲ Ascending

Signs:

Oaxaca's cultural sector contribution to state GDP exceeds the national average of 2.8%, with artisanship, gastronomy, mezcal, and cultural tourism forming the backbone of its creative economy. The state is Mexico's principal producer of artisanal crafts and holds UNESCO World Heritage recognition for the Historic Centre of Oaxaca and the archaeological zone of Monte Albán. Oaxacan cuisine is recognized as part of Mexico's UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Oaxaca produces over 90% of all certified mezcal in Mexico, supporting more than 125,000 families, with the global mezcal market valued at over $1.1 billion USD in 2024.

Events:

The Guelaguetza 2025 ran from July to August with over 150 cultural, artistic, and gastronomic activities across 31 venues, drawing over 44,000 attendees to the Lunes del Cerro alone. The 2025 Mezcal Fair brought together over 100 certified mezcal producers across 380 stands, combining cultural exposition with commercial exchange. Oaxaca's Centro Cultural del Mezcal won the 2025 DNA Paris Design Award in the Interior Design category, international recognition for how the city is translating its living heritage into contemporary creative spaces.

Trends:

Oaxaca is experiencing something rare, a city whose global cultural reputation has grown faster than its economy, and the economy is now catching up. The worldwide surge in interest in indigenous cuisine, artisanal spirits, and authentic cultural experiences has turned Oaxaca into one of the most sought-after creative destinations on the planet. Oaxaca International Airport welcomed over 1 million passengers in 2025, a 4.9% increase over 2024, at a time when many other Mexican destinations are seeing slower growth.

Drivers:

A perfect score in Cultural Identity Strength, the highest in this entire ranking. Oaxaca has 16 recognized indigenous groups, 570 distinct municipalities, a gastronomic tradition that UNESCO considers irreplaceable, and a mezcal industry that has gone from local secret to global obsession in a single decade. This is not a city performing its culture. This is a city that is its culture.

Oaxaca is where two UNESCO designations and a mezcal industry that conquered the world make it North America's most irreplaceable creative capital.

Federico Quinzaños

Founder The Grand North America