US Visitor Numbers to Los Cabos Climb

The love affair between Los Cabos and the US continues to grow, with 98 percent of all visitors now hailing from the US, thanks to a 5.4 increase in American travelers in 2021 from 2019.

Los Cabos Tourism Board Managing Director Rodrigo Esponda noted that US travelers are drawn to Los Cabos for a wide array of reasons.

"Los Cabos offers a premier luxury experience for travelers with a wide variety of interests. Visitors can experience the destination's unique combination of geography, spanning desert, mountain and the ocean," he said.

"This is one of the few places in the world where dunes of the deserts and mountains meet the ocean. In addition, the nearby Sea of Cortez contains 30 percent of the world's marine mammals.

"Visitors can experience nature by land and sea with hiking, kayaking, rappelling, driving a four-by-four vehicle, playing golf and sailing, among other activities."

Los Cabos also features one-of-a-kind culinary experiences, with myriad farm-to-table offerings from acclaimed, international chefs, Esponda said.

"Overall, Los Cabos creates a luxury experience with personalized services for travelers, which has been the case for many for many years,' he said.

Furthermore, the destination continues to increase its US air connectivity, with more service being introduced from such cities as from Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, Denver and New York in the coming months.

US travelers are also interested in exploring destinations that put a high premium on sustainability, which "has been a top priority for Los Cabos since the beginning," Esponda said.

"Forty two percent of the Baja California Sur region are natural protected areas, including the Sea of Cortez - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

"And there are many sustainability initiatives already in effect which work to ensure the natural beauty of Los Cabos lives on for generations.

"An example is the prohibition of billboards and out-of-home advertising from the destination to keep sightlines natural and clear. There are also restrictions in terms of height and density for buildings for similar reasons."

Los Cabos has removed plastic bags as an option in the supermarket and worked to limit widespread use of plastic containers and straw.

"As the destination grows, we are committed to ensuring sustainable practices grow with it," Esponda said.

As a case in point, the destination unveiled the Environmental Sanitation Tax and reintroduced the Embrace It Contribution.

The Environmental Sanitation Tax will collect a $1.69 in daily per-room by hotels, timeshares and lodging facilities beginning June 1, 2022, to support government sustainability and safety practices.

The Embrace It Contribution initiative was originally introduced in 2019 as the Fund for a Sustainable Baja Sur but was paused due to the pandemic and reintroduced under its current name in February 2022.

Through the initiative, Baja California Sur visitors who stay over 24 hours are asked to contribute approximately $20 to support sustainability of social projects through such avenues as the state's website and kiosks at the SJD International Airport.

"These funding measures provide the resources we need to ensure the people who live, work and play here can enjoy it for generations to come," Esponda said.

Meanwhile, Los Cabos continues to expand its tourism offerings with new hotel options. The latest property openings include Villa La Valencia, Corazon Cabo Resort & Spa, Rancho Pescadero and The Residences at The St. Regis Los Cabos.

"As for what's to come on the horizon for 2023, there's the Four Seasons Cabo Del Sol, which will be located between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo," Esponda said.

In the final analysis, travel advisors continue to play crucial role in Los Cabos' success. "They offer trusted advice to many travelers, whether they're new to the destination or more familiar," he said.

"We work with many of advisors to ensure that they have the most up-to-date information about Los Cabos properties, happenings, amenities, and protocols.

"Because of this, we recently launched Los Cabos Specialist, a platform dedicated to travel agents where we will have the latest destination news and information so that all advisors who join can become experts in Los Cabos."

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