Within the framework of the IMEX in Frankfurt 2023 international fair, dedicated especially to meeting tourism, Travel2latam spoke with Rodrigo Esponda, General Director of the Tourism Trust of Los Cabos, Mexico.
What is the connectivity situation today in Los Cabos?
Connectivity has continued to increase at the destination, we have 27 cities in the United States with direct flights, 12 in Mexico, 11 in Canada and we also have a direct flight from Spain, so in total we have connectivity with 52 cities that can be flown direct from the World to Los Cabos.
Do you plan to generate new sources of connectivity?
We continue working on it, here at IMEX Frankfurt we met with Cóndor, which is an airline that we have been talking to for several years to present the business case so that they can fly directly from Frankfurt to Los Cabos. It is a project that is not going to materialize this year, but we hope that in 2024 this direct flight can be completed, and with that, open a new market that would be Germany and obviously all German-speaking countries.
What is the differential that Los Cabos offers to be chosen over other destinations?
To stand out, we must focus on three elements; The first thing is the climate, a dry and arid climate so it rains less than 10 days a year and offers the possibility of doing all outdoor activities, such as playing golf all year round, not having mosquitoes hanging around and without worrying that when an event is coordinated outside it could rain. The second is the diversity of activities and the combination of the desert, the sea and the mountains. A diversity that is not found in any other destination in the world, there will be some that can offer the sea and the desert or the sea and the mountains, but not all three together in one place. And the third point is the hospitality and quality of service that Los Cabos has,
How is the performance in the MICE segment?
For us the meetings industry is very important. 20% of the rooms are directly related to the MICE, mainly incentives, which due to the great variety of activities and the weather can be had throughout the year. However, we also have corporate meetings and some medium-sized congresses or conventions that can be hosted. For us, also, what is interesting is that the value chain, the chain of services offered in the meetings industry is broader than the traditional one, coming to represent 7% of the Gross Domestic Product of the state directly related to the industry. of meetings.
Has the increase in the tourism sector been seen in relation to vacations and leisure?
Yes, individual trips have always been developed, MICE is a bit newer and has been developing and positioning itself in recent years. But leisure tourism has been the main element in states like California, which are regions that are very close to Los Cabos. When we do market analysis and a Californian is asked about a pleasure destination, 50% mention Los Cabos as the first vacation destination, as well as other markets such as Texas, since variety, quality, and safety are elements that They distinguish us so that any family, couple or group of friends can enjoy the best experience they can imagine in Los Cabos.
What are the developments in terms of infrastructure?
We have state-of-the-art infrastructure and there are 6 new developments that will be opening in the next 12 months, small in volume of rooms but very representative, such as the second Four Seasons, hotels that are all high-end and that also do not come only with the hotel component, but also with a commercial and real estate component, which also gives a very particular livelihood and economy to the destination.
What are the states that stand out the most in terms of passenger volume?
70% of travelers come from the United States, and the most representative states from highest to lowest number are: California, Texas, Arizona and some other very important states such as Colorado, Illinois, Washington, New York State and Florida. And in the last two years Florida and New York have been states that represent 5% of visitors to the United States, so it is a very relevant participation, especially due to the distance.
Los Cabos is usually synonymous with luxury tourism, but is it really like that or is there a variety for other types of economic capacity?
Los Cabos has tourism of luxury experiences, which can be the hotel or all the services, of course a visitor can stay in a three-star hotel but will find a five-star level of service, that is precisely what sets us apart. We also have great natural beauties and a very interesting cultural environment with the largest Art District in Mexico, the Art District of San José del Cabo, and with a very large diversity of four marine species.
What kind of non-traditional activities does the destination offer?
First of all, the desert offers a wide variety of activities, obviously from driving in a 4x4 vehicle to hiking, kayaking, rappelling. And then the mountain, which is one of the elements that is least visited, is called Sierra de La Laguna because it has large water deposits and also has cave paintings that go back more than 1,500 years, so there are great routes to to do, nature reserves, bird watching with more than 20 species of birds that are only endemic to the region, then there is a great diversity of activities that can be done beyond the sea and the beach.