Following a decade of significant growth in visitation, connectivity and tourism value, Los Cabos is setting a new ambition for 2036. The destination aims to become the leading luxury destination in the Americas while ensuring tourism creates lasting benefits for its residents and protects the natural environment that defines the region.
The vision was presented during the 20th edition of the Los Cabos VIP Summit, the Tourism Board's annual gathering of airline executives, tour operators, travel advisors, destination management companies, hotel partners and other tourism leaders from its key international markets. The milestone Summit comes as Los Cabos looks back on a decade of transformation and sets its priorities for the next 10 years.
When Esponda assumed leadership of the Tourism Board in 2016, Los Cabos promoted the destination in three principal markets and offered nonstop service from 21 U.S. cities. Today, its promotional strategy reaches 21 international markets, and its air network connects Los Cabos with 55 cities globally, including 33 in the United States.
During the same period, annual visitation grew 77 percent, from 2.12 million in 2016 to nearly 3.8 million in 2025. International visitation increased 58 percent to 2.34 million; domestic visitation more than doubled to 1.42 million and private-aviation traffic nearly quadrupled, reflecting growing demand from the luxury market.
The expansion has been accompanied by significant investment in luxury hospitality, experiences, and infrastructure. Los Cabos has the highest concentration of Virtuoso properties across Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, with 16 affiliated hotels, as well as the highest density of luxury hotel rooms in Mexico. More than 1,200 confirmed hotel rooms are in the development pipeline through 2029, many already under construction, as international luxury brands continue to establish a presence in the destination.
Nearly 40 percent of visitors are returning travelers, according to the destination's visitor survey. Their continued return reflects Los Cabos' ability to offer something new with each visit through its evolving hospitality, culinary and wellness offerings, surrounding communities, outdoor experiences and natural environment.
"In recent years, we have deliberately shifted our focus from how much tourism grows to what that growth creates for Los Cabos," said Rodrigo Esponda, Managing Director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board. "Value over volume means being intentional about the markets we develop, the travelers we attract, the experiences we promote and the partnerships we build. Over the past decade, our priority was to strengthen access, awareness, and confidence in Los Cabos. In the next 10 years, success must also be reflected in the wellbeing of our community, the economic opportunities tourism creates and a natural environment that is stronger because it has been protected and regenerated."
The transformation was not driven by visitation alone. Los Cabos strengthened its relationships with airlines and travel partners, expanded into new international markets and increased its use of research, demand forecasting and performance data to guide investment and promotion. The destination also broadened its luxury proposition through new hotels, Michelin-recognized dining, golf, wellness, community-based experiences and nature-focused tourism.
Its digital platform evolved alongside the destination. The platform now integrates 2,200 tourism businesses and includes customer relationship management capabilities, interactive maps, virtual tours, accessibility resources, and AI-supported services designed to help travelers plan more personalized visits.
Looking ahead, the 2036 vision positions Los Cabos as the leading luxury destination in the Americas, recognized not only for extraordinary visitor experiences but also for the quality of life of the people who make them possible.
The vision is grounded in two principles. The first is excellence with identity, expressed through the hospitality, gastronomy, culture and nature of Baja California Sur. The second is growth that creates value by generating more value per visitor, expanding opportunities for the community and conserving the natural and cultural heritage that distinguishes Los Cabos.
Market diversification will be central to this vision, with a strategy focused on three groups: primary markets, including the United States, Canada and Mexico; markets with growth potential through air connectivity, such as Germany and Colombia; and high-value niche markets, including Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Los Cabos will also continue expanding its tourism offerings, from gastronomy and wellness to golf, outdoor adventure, nature and culture, to attract new traveler segments and create more opportunities for local communities.
To translate that ambition into lasting local prosperity, the 2036 vision identifies four priorities: creating stronger education and career pathways for local talent in hospitality, gastronomy and technology; bringing more local producers, entrepreneurs and community experiences into the tourism economy; coordinating tourism growth with investment in water, mobility, housing and public spaces; and managing development according to the region's capacity while conserving its seas, beaches and biodiversity with community participation.
Progress will also be measured differently. Beyond visitor numbers, Los Cabos will look at whether tourism is improving local incomes, creating more opportunities for local businesses, expanding access to essential services, and supporting healthier ecosystems.
Held October 25 to 27 in Los Cabos, this year's VIP Summit brought together travel partners and tourism leaders for three days of business meetings, destination experiences and conversations about the future of the destination. Executives from ALG Vacations, Amstar DMC, Classic Vacations and ID Travel Group joined Esponda to examine how the luxury traveler has changed and what Los Cabos must protect as it prepares for its next phase.
The anniversary marks a transition from building a strong destination position to using that position more intentionally. Los Cabos will continue to grow, but more deliberately, with greater attention to the travelers and markets it pursues, the experiences it develops, the local economic value tourism generates and the natural assets that must be protected for the future.
