Responsible Tourism, the Foundation of Hospitality in Los Cabos

With tourist flows increasing worldwide—last year, 1.4 billion travelers traveled worldwide, and Mexico alone received 15% more international tourists than in 2023—and the pressure on natural resources and the tangible and intangible heritage of local communities increasing, responsible tourism is now an imperative for the tourism industry, and it already finds one of its best expressions in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur.

Aware that sustainable tourism is a shared responsibility among tourists (7 out of 10 of whom seek to travel more sustainably, primarily millennials, according to the 2024 Sustainable Travel Report), tourism companies, governments, and local communities, Los Cabos has decided not only to adapt, but to lead a structural transformation toward a more conscious, integrated, and regenerative tourism model that thinks long-term but acts today.

Thus, tourism companies in Los Cabos have joined forces to consolidate a responsible tourism model in the destination. “We seek a tourism that repairs, amplifies the positive impact, and assumes co-responsibility for the present and future of this important region for the environment and the economy,” says Rodrigo Esponda, general director of the Los Cabos Tourism Trust (FITURCA).

This is what shared prosperity looks like in Los Cabos

With this responsible tourism mindset, Royal Solaris Los Cabos and GR Solaris Lighthouse have eliminated single-use plastics, have recycling and water conservation programs, and are in the process of obtaining Green Key certification, a distinction that confirms “excellence in environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism sector.”

For its part, The Villa Group participates in community cleanups of streams and wetlands, makes donations to hospitals and children’s foundations, and offers college scholarships for employees’ children, all while eliminating single-use plastics.

Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos has implemented programs that include sea turtle conservation, food donations to animal shelters, and support for various local organizations that care for children and seniors, among other initiatives.

At the Cosecha restaurant at Hotel San Cristóbal, 45% of the food used in dishes is harvested on-site, and the fish served is sourced directly from the beach, thereby reducing shipping waste and supporting local fishermen.

ACRE Resort practices regenerative agriculture with an agroecological garden for personal consumption, pest management, and plant health. Additionally, its grounds are low-maintenance and feature a drip irrigation system for water conservation.

Solmar Hotels & Resorts uses reverse osmosis systems to purify seawater for use in common areas. It also has wastewater treatment plants and participates in the Municipal Sea Turtle Conservation Program. Grand Velas Los Cabos also has a water treatment plant to reuse treated water for irrigating green areas, a desalination plant to prevent the overexploitation of local freshwater sources, and uses solar panels to heat pools and reduce gas and electricity consumption. Like other environmentally conscious hotels, we participate in sea turtle conservation programs, reaffirming our commitment to protecting local biodiversity.

Grupo Pueblo Bonito and the Letty Coppel Foundation have established a comprehensive social intervention model that combines medical, nutritional, and psychological assistance with a focus on community development, self-employment training, cultural support, and environmental protection.

Mexico Giveaways, through its social program A Gift that Gives, allocates a percentage of each purchase to SHINE, an initiative committed to empowering women in San José del Cabo, through sewing and embroidery classes, as well as seminars on personal development and life skills.

Engel & Völkers Snell Real Estate promotes homes with sustainable features such as solar energy systems, water-saving technologies, advanced climate control, natural materials, green roofs, and smart home integration.

One&Only Palmilla also has a sea turtle protection program and supports La Cana, an organization of women who create handcrafted products while incarcerated, seeking social reintegration.

Sustainability and Shared Prosperity

These are just a few of the dozens of initiatives that the Los Cabos tourism community has promoted as a way to advance the ideals promoted by UN Tourism through its One Planet initiative, which proposes responsible tourism based on six pillars: public health; social inclusion; biodiversity conservation; climate action; circular economy; and governance and strategic alliances.

“In this way, tourism companies in Los Cabos are joining forces to develop and consolidate a renewed sector, with responsible tourism as a guide to where to go and sustainability as the main driver of tourism in the destination, for the benefit of people, the planet, and shared prosperity,” emphasizes Rodrigo Esponda.