“…Well, during at least the past 7 years, we have been present here, the last 3 years were my turn at coordinating. It’s been a very interesting experience to observe how the Spanish market and in general the European market have been maturing and having more and more presence in Los Cabos and in Baja California Sur as a destination, this amongst consumers as well as between tour operators, as you already know, as of next November 2019, the first direct flight from London to Los Cabos begins, this has been very well received by the tour operators.  Everyone is waiting for the future to start direct marketing for the destination, which will open a door to the European market, we are also involved in talks regarding other flights from other destinations, from other European markets that will be very interesting.

Well we will hold a total of 40 meetings, more or less.  I’ve already had 20 meetings with tour operators, airlines and some with mass media. Tonight we have a dinner with our main business partners, where we will offer a brief presentation about the destination and how it’s behaving.  The information we have from all of them is that sales are moving very well, they’ve all been beyond expectations and sales have been above what is expected for Mexico in general. So the information we have is very positive, very encouraging in order to continue to have strong promotion and so that increasingly Los Cabos is known within the European market.

Yes, obviously we have the FITURCA trust fund, that’s an independent budget from the CPTM,  that allows us to manage and have constant promotion. We have all the strategies perfectly planned for 2019, and yes many are already running and we have already signed operating agreements with our commercial partners, with airlines, including the flight from Europe that we were discussing before.  In the situation where we must be compensating the resources which  we will stop receiving via the CPTM,  with the strategies that have to be complemented effectively, we have been talking to the private sector in Los Cabos, in order to have an escrow fund  that can receive private contributions.  There are many examples of programs that are already being prepared, at fairs where the participation of the private sector is already committed, and which will be complemented by the public sector, and what we know, is that everyone is so committed in Los Cabos, it’s going to be very successful and that will allow Los Cabos to continue consolidating its self in a different and differentiable way.

The tourist fairs are already considered, some considered with a pavilion. ANATO we are going to be in Colombia, what’s a market that we’ve been working on for the past two years, we’re continuing with meetings, we already have a working agenda with the commercial partners, and an event where we are going to have the 6 main Colombian partners and where we are going to present the destination.  At ITB in Berlin we are also going to participate.  We are analyzing if we participate with a booth for Los Cabos as such, in both ANATO and ITB. Obviously if there is a Mexican pavilion there is the opportunity to make it happen, obviously we will be there, and the same is true for some other fairs. What I’d like to say is that the pace of activity isn’t going to stop and is going to continue.

With information by Armando Figaredo

Translation by Tony Perez Dillon

From the 24^th to 27^th of January, the International Tourism Fair of Spain (FITUR) held its 39^th edition global meeting.

With the Dominican Republic as this year’s guest country, the event brought together 886 exhibitors, 8.3% more than last year, with 10,487 companies from 165 countries represented. This edition occupies 67,495 square meters, 2.5% more than in 2017, distributed in nine pavilions.

Federal Secretary of Tourism Miguel Torruco was present at the Mexico Pavilion. He highlighted that Mexico’s Pavilion was the largest of any Latin America country, and is the place where the country’s states, tourist destinations, airlines, hotel groups and tour operators all are present to show the world the touristic diversity and a bit of our countries culture offered to all who visit.

"Well, FITUR has always been the most important tourist fair for Spain and Latin America, and most especially on this occasion, my first attending as Federal Tourism Secretary, we are pleased to be following the same pathway, yet we keep improving, now you can observe more touches of what international tourism markets really like; the heritage of our ancestors from the pre-Hispanic era, that is the special focus we have given to our pavilion on this occasion.”

He also spoke about the withdrawal of Mexico’s Tourism Promotion Council and entrepreneurs’ initiatives to consolidate various private tourism promotion trust funds:

"We’ve just met with the business sector, and we are currently receiving proposals.  Two commissions are going to be carried in order to create a new entity, where private initiative will have greater participation in selecting marketing strategies. We are also waiting for the proposals by state representatives as well as by international reps, this is a new scheme, a new model; we must leave apathy behind us. We must remember that the Tourism Promotion Council during the six years of ex-president Calderon, spent 13 billion pesos for promotion, in the case of Peña Nieto, it rose to 24 billion pesos, and because the balance is; if measured, from a point of view of foreign currency and per capita expenditure, and this is how best to measure the tourist potential of a nation; then we are in 15^th place in collecting foreign currency and in 40^th place in per capita spending; that being our reference and from that data, we have to create more products and create better products on a national level, as we are already doing, in coordination with state governors, so this way tourists are more motivated to make trips and obviously this in order to have a greater flow of the benefit for the general population ".

On the other hand, Baja California Sur was also present at this event, and through its  Secretary of Tourism, Economy and Sustainability, Luis Humberto Araiza, who points out that he seeks to strengthen commercial ties as well as favor development for this activity.

He also spoke on the subject of the extinct Mexico’s Tourism Promotion Council (CPTM):

"Yes, as I said before, the idea to make up for the absence of the CPTM is by using Mexico’s Embassies abroad, where the Secretary for Foreign Affairs will play a leading role and at the same time we will use valuable people who worked within the CPTM and incorporate them into some activities of this nature ... there was no specific dialogue on each states situation, it was mostly broadly spoken of.  I discussed the problems we could face if we did not have proper representation abroad, but I was told what I am sharing with you here. Also the idea is to create several Mexico Houses, like the one Mexico has here in Spain. The plan is to reproduce that, thanks to private resourcefulness in countries of most tourist flow importance for Mexico ".

Translation by Tony Perez Dillon

With total clear skies over Los Cabos, Baja California Sur a total lunar eclipse could be observed, thisastronomical phenomena known as a Blood Moon Eclipse is considered to be the most important event for astronomy during the current 2019.

"Two events come together right now, two events that would be: the super moon and the eclipse of the moon. The super moon is when the moon is closest to the earth, normally all stars travel in an ellipse shape path, the moon does the same around the earth and due to the ellipse shape movement, there is a moment when it is closer, and another moment when it’s further away ".

We were able to observe the moon 14% larger and 30% brighter.

Amateur astronomy enthusiasts and members of the Astronomical Society of Los Cabos gathered to observe this awesome phenomenon with the help of specially equipped telescopes.

"It's fantastic to be able to see it with all this equipment. I've always liked all of this since childhood. It a passion I’ve had".

"These phenomena’s have happened throughout history and have set the pace for major changes... The desert is a fantastic place to observe this type of event."

During 2019 another important astronomical phenomenon due:

"There is going to be the transit of Mercury from side to side of the Sun, it happens during the day. But now we can observe the sun safely through telescopes with solar filters."

We won’t have the opportunity to look above and see a magnificent such as this one, till the year 2021.

Translation by Tony Perez Dillon 

At a press conference held on January 17^th, the sixth edition of the "Los Cabos Half Marathon 2019" was announced which will take place on February 10^th around the tourist area of ​​San José del Cabo.

Rodrigo Esponda Cascajares (FITURCA Director)... "The race has managed to consolidate itself with a very important market like California, which is very easy for Californians to come down on a Thursday, participate in the race, and then return, either that same Sunday afternoon or on Monday. This also helps next year, people return, talk about the event and this continues to generate a constructive circle with the number of tourists that are still to come”

The organizer and co-director of this sporting event, Blanca Estela Madrid confirmed that registration is open for categories 3, 5, 10 and 21 kilometers. The race will begin at 7 AM and at the end a coexistence festival will be held for the attendees and their companions.

Blanca Estela Madrid, Co-director Los Cabos Half Marathon: ... "Los Cabos Half Marathon as you know is an international race, it’s a race that has been 6 years in the destination. This year we expect around 3 thousand participants, where 65% of those come from abroad.  Sunday February 10th is the race, from 7AM the races begin.  We have the 21K, 10K, 5K, and a 3Km child race. The routes are the same as the last year, the 21K  has a cost of $ 750 pesos, the 10K is $450 pesos, the 5K is $350 and the one for kids $ 250 pesos”

Last year’s edition of the “Los Cabos Half Marathon" had an entry of 2,600 competitors, with this year’s growth of more than 400 athletes it is fast becoming one of the most important races in any tourist destination.

Notably the event is supported by the Baja California Sur State Government, Los Cabos Municipal Government, the Tourism Trust Fund of Los Cabos (FITURCA) and the Los Cabos Hotel Association.

Translation by Tony Perez Dillon