Progreso is a city in the state of Yucatán, Mexico, on the Gulf of Mexico on the northwest coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. The city was founded in 1811 as a port for exporting sisal (henequén) fiber from the Yucatán haciendas. It has a long heritage of fishing as well as shipping. Now numbering 37,000 inhabitants, Progreso has recently experienced growth due to its presence on some cruise line stops in Mexico, and is now a favorite destination for both locals and tourists.

The earliest Mayan settlements on the site date back to the 1st century CE, when the city was known as Xcambó. The city was dominated by nearby Izamal, and was most populated from the Early Classic Period until the 6th century CE. The primary economic activity at that time was salt extraction.

Progreso is a center for both the fishing industry and the container industry. All containers arrive in Progreso and are distributed to Yucatán, Campeche and Quintana Roo.

Progreso also is one of the newest ports for large cruise ships and an emerging Balneario resort destination. Passengers disembark on a very long pier, the Terminal Remota opened in 1989 that juts out 6.5 km (4.0 mi) into the Gulf of Mexico. Passengers are taken to shore to visit Progreso, Mérida or the Maya civilization archaeological sites of Uxmal and Dzibilchaltun.

During the months of July and August, the beaches fill with thousands of mostly local tourists, as it is traditional in these months for well-to-do residents of Mérida to leave the city and spend the summer in the cooler seaside environment.

Climate

Despite its coastal location and fairly humid climate (average humidity around 70–80%), Progreso has a semi-arid climate. There is little variation in average temperatures through the winter months from December to March are noticeably cooler. Precipitation is scarce throughout the year but is more abundant from June to October. On average, there are 36 days with measurable rainfall.