Rodrigo Esponda Highlights Opportunities for Los Cabos at FITUR 2026
At the 46th International Tourism Fair (FITUR), where Mexico is the guest country, Rodrigo Esponda, director of FITURCA, celebrated 10 years representing Los Cabos from the destination’s stand. “Very happy to be here again, with great visibility and strategic meetings with business partners, tour operators, airlines, and travel agencies,” he stated during an interview on the first day.
Esponda emphasized Los Cabos’ competitiveness in differentiated niches such as culture, gastronomy, sports, luxury, wellness, birdwatching, and rural experiences, moving away from the massive all-inclusive resorts where it competes with the Caribbean. “We have the Sea of Cortez with 40% of the world’s marine fish, the Sierra de la Laguna mountain range, and a unique concentration of luxury hotels,” he highlighted. The average nightly rate for luxury hotels exceeded $1,600 in 2024, the highest in Mexico and 2.5 times higher than the next most expensive destination, with over 18,000 rooms and 15-20 focused on the premium segment.
Among the key meetings, he met with IAG (Iberia, British Airways, and Vueling) to explore direct flights, presenting business metrics, and with CATAI, a Spanish luxury and culture consortium, training 50 travel agents on local history and traditions. The Condor flight from Los Cabos to Frankfurt, in its second season, maintains a load factor above 60%, connecting with cities such as Berlin, Zurich, Milan, Rome, and Paris, diversifying European tourists.
The Japanese market grew strongly in 2025, focusing on golf and nature, with operators such as JTB and HIS featured in their catalogs. In the US, new routes from Indianapolis and Las Vegas (Frontier, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines) are boosting traffic. Canada saw a 15% increase, and a similar figure is expected. Additionally, 10% of hotel room capacity comes from groups, conventions, and incentive trips, with specific initiatives underway to position the destination in this sector.
Esponda emphasized the diversification of tourist origins and products to generate community benefits, anticipating a productive year for increasing European travelers.