"Baja California Sur has been a national benchmark in terms of sustainability for the last three years, distinguishing itself as the state of the country with the highest number of beaches certified with the Blue Flag international award by holding 23 of these recognitions, in addition to having a marina certified ", mentioned the Secretary of Tourism, Economy and Sustainability, Fernando Ojeda Aguilar.

In that sense, he stressed that this achievement is the result of the joint commitment of the State Government, Municipal Government, tourism sector and South Californian society with environmental quality and environmental conservation, highlighting that the current administration has always maintained a public development policy orderly and responsible use of natural resources.

Fernando Ojeda thanked the businessmen for their interest and collaboration to increase the tourist competitiveness of the State, since he said, they have bet their time, work and resources, so that BCS continues to be an example in environmental matters, both nationally and internationally.

A week after the United States government determined that its citizens who are abroad must present a negative antigen test before boarding their return flight, in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, the service has been installed to perform these tests at the airport and in hotels, as well as laboratories, hospitals or private clinics.

Francisco Villaseñor, Los Cabos Airport Director: "... We have twenty positions to carry out passenger sampling, each position has the capacity to take up to 15 tests per hour .."

Regarding the cost for antigen test or PCR, reasonable and special prices apply to passengers, but also to people who come even without being passengers.

Francisco Villaseñor, Los Cabos Airport Director: "... showing your boarding pass, it's 25 dollars or 450 pesos ..."

Rafael Ochoa, CDMX Laboratory Executive: "... the PCR test for tourists is 1,450 pesos and for local people it is 1,950 pesos ..."

Jen Superviller, Tourist from Idaho: "... $ 25 for the test, and it's very reasonable ... they're doing a good job, they wear masks, wash their hands, so it's very safe."

Tania Curier, Tourist from San Diego, California: "I will have the result in about 45 minutes, about 20 more minutes, I feel fine, they just a swab that goes through your nose, and it's fine ..."

Mauricio Salicrup, President of Los Cabos Hotel Association: “... We signed a very particular agreement and we worked with all the local hospitals and doctors so that this testing was not seen as a business, but rather was part of the service chain that had to give the destination so that tourism continues to come ... "

For those who test positive they will have to return to their hotel or place of accommodation and reschedule the flight.

Francisco Villaseñor, director of the Los Cabos Airport: "... that he contact his airline in order to reschedule his travel itinerary, but inside the airport the positive passenger no longer re-enters ..."

In February, due to these restrictions, the departure of tourists is estimated to fall from an average of 1,900 to 1,200 or less daily.

Armando Figaredo.

The Los Cabos Hotel Association (LCHA) called a press conference with the presence of its directors from the board of directors to publicize the different actions that this association is carrying out through the committees assigned to each of its members , in addition to confirming the continuity of the board of directors for one more year by decision of the General Assembly of the 85 hotels of this association.

On the other hand and before the disposition of the United States government that as of January 26, its citizens who travel to Mexico must present a negative Covid test either PCR or Antigen at the time of their return, by air or land, which is much cheaper and can reach $ 50 or less.

Mauricio Salicrup, President of the Board of Directors of the LCHA: “… We are betting on facilitating this process, that there is only one single price, we are going to say it this way in everything that is not ... not to make a business of this, but to facilitate the process ... we have several allies local hospitals and we also have allies to the State Government with the Ministry of Health "

Asked if this cost can be included in the hosting packages or if they can do it directly on their own, he said:

Mauricio Salicrup, President of the Board of Directors of the LCHA: “… the effort that we are making, that it is unitary for all the hotels and since the hotels decide if with that price that we are offering them, they include it in their room rate or they prefer this ... to charge it to the guests ... "

Also that the facility for obtaining antigen tests may also be applied to hotel employees.

In relation to the guests who test positive, he spoke of preferential rates with certain conditions:

Mauricio Salicrup, President of the Board of Directors of the LCHA: “… for these passengers who will definitely be asymptomatic, then to be able to have this rate there is a condition that is that the guest is precisely quarantined inside the room… they will have to be inside their room, in the In the case of all-inclusive hotels, obviously the supply of food will be supervised by the Ministry of Health and in the EP (European Plan) a specific menu will be made or created with the recommendations of the doctors "

Given the possibility that an insurance company could cover these risks, he commented:

Mauricio Salicrup, President of the Board of Directors of the LCHA: “The Hotel Association cannot get into the insurance issue precisely because it is an issue that each business unit has a corporate and the corporate has its legal department that has all these negotiations, what I understand is that there are already several business units, several hotels that are already beginning to explore coverage ... "

On the other hand, the LCHA released the satus of the hotel occupancy of the 17,500 rooms of 2020, the current and comparative with respect to 2019, the Executive President of the LCHA said:

Lilzi Orcí, Executive President LCHA: "Hotel occupancy closing 2020 with 34% accumulated occupancy, that is, with two months of being at 0% versus 69% occupancy that we closed in 2019"

She also reaffirmed that as a tourist destination it maintains the highest average rate in the country with $ 300 per night.

Lilzi Orcí, Executive President LCHA: "Around $ 300 ... the rate did not drop as it might be in other destinations, we were an agreement that we do have very precise not to make the destination cheaper"

She finally spoke of the number of visitors since 2019 and what is expected for this 2021:

Lilzi Orcí, Executive President LCHA: "... in 2019 we had 2.75 million visitors, this 2020 contracted by 45% reaching 1.5 and for 2021 we expect 2.5 ..."

It is worth mentioning that the LCHA maintains a very important internal communication in order to join forces for the destination.

Armando García, LCHA Purchasing Committee: “If Los Cabos does well, we will all do well, and I believe that the main competitor is not next to you, if they are not international destinations such as Hawaii , like Cayman, everything that is the same Riviera Maya is a competitor of the destination, not of my hotel, not of my individual business unit.

Currently the LCHA board of directors is made up of the following hotel councilors with very specific responsibilities in different committees:

Mauricio Salicrup, Pdte. Admvo, Security

Armando García, Shopping

Ricardo Orozco, Treasurer and Health

David Ocete - Government Affairs

Giuliana Torres, Statistics

Mauricio Quezada, Sustainability

Raul Chi - Training and Food and Beverages

John Kirwan, SPA

The General Coordination is in charge of the Executive President Lilzi Orcí and the Director Elisa Araos.

Among other ongoing activities coordinated by the LCHA in addition to having initiated talks to obtain permits for the purchase of vaccines for employees and tourists are those carried out with the collaboration of groups such as the Batel Club (gastronomic) to teach various courses; corridor cleaning programs; cultural conventions with ethnic groups for the exhibition of handicrafts, dances and gastronomic exhibitions to tourists; also agreements with the municipality to rehabilitate public parks through a program called “Parks with Life”.

During December 2020, Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, maintained a tourist influx of 46% in the 17 thousand hotel rooms, which is considered good occupancy taking into account that only 50% is allowed to operate, however at this beginning of year will depend on issuing country restrictions.

Mauricio Salicrup. President of Los Cabos Hotel Association: “…We are currently working around 46% and obviously we are visualizing that this may change depending on the new regulations that the issuing countries are having ... "

The Canadian government, which recently opened travel restrictions, requires its citizens that upon their return they must have proof of Covid

Rodrigo Esponda, Director of the Los Cabos Tourism Trust: "... They are asking for a certificate of a PCR test and this has affected the flow of Canadians who are traveling worldwide ..."

Mauricio Salicrup. President of Los Cabos Hotel Association: “… each business unit has PCR testing services for guests, obviously as it is nothing more than Canadian tourism and they were not allowed to leave until before this, there is little Canadian that we currently have in the destination… "

This provision has generated cancellations or postponement of trips to Los Cabos, affecting the flow that was normally had this month.

Rodrigo Esponda, Director of the Los Cabos Tourism Trust: "traditionally we had more than 50,000 Canadian tourists coming throughout the month, obviously that number today is very small"

Canada represents an important segment in international tourism in Los Cabos by stay and by the increase in tourists in recent years

Rodrigo Esponda, , Dir. Los Cabos Tourist Trust: “… over the years it has grown at double digits from 2017 to 2019 it grew 35% and it is a market that also stays longer, its average stay is 12 days, which it is longer than the traditional tourist who comes to Los Cabos, with an average spill, therefore also higher ... "

The cost of PCR tests are high, affecting the budget of travelers, so those who have chosen to postpone their trips, however, work has been done to create a testing scheme by the state government.

Rodrigo Esponda, Dir. Los Cabos Tourist Trust: "... some are at $ 200, $ 250, depending on the laboratory and depending on market issues ..."

Juan Carlos del Río, Spokesperson for travel agencies in Los Cabos: “..The solutions can, of course, be to renegotiate those test cost prices in volume levels ... the tourist's pocket is affecting him in an expense that he had not considered ... "

As for American tourism, it will be from January 26 when the new travel measures come into force, with the delivery of results of the PCR or serological tests of Covid 19 being a requirement to board the plane back.

Rodrigo Esponda, Director of FITURCA: "... a printed or digital certificate must be presented, issued either by a qualified laboratory or by a qualified medical staff that certifies that the antigen or PCR test was performed ..."

At the moment the institutions carry out the strategies to carry out the covid tests in an efficient and economical way

Rodrigo Esponda, Director of FITURCA: "what we are working on is that the hotels can carry out the test in the hotel facilities

we also believe that it is a mechanism that may even be included in the price ..."

Undoubtedly, 2021 will imply new challenges in international arrivals to Los Cabos as these measures could reduce reservations and stays

Rodrigo Esponda Dir. From FITURCA: ”… being realistic the Canadian market in general is lost, there is a recommendation from the Canadian government not to travel anywhere internationally… then it seems to me that the situation is completely different than in the case of the United States…"

Even so, Los Cabos is preparing to face the new protocols of the North American traveler, proposing strategies that allow the safety of tourists and the sector to continue advancing towards a speedy economic recovery.