Los Cabos' Golden Future

Article written by Lena Katz:

The annual VIP Summit Los Cabos provides an opportunity for the region’s most valued trade partners to celebrate their success in bringing travelers to the region that year and to kick-start the business of bringing even more during the upcoming year.

By all accounts, 2017 was a prosperous one for the destination. But a look at the glittering lineup of hotels in development shows that Los Cabos is primed for a 2018 travel boom. And with fortune’s favor, that’ll just be the start of a golden future.

Here are a few of the trends currently defining Los Cabos as a destination:

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Luxury Hotel Boom

Eighty percent of the hotel and resort guestrooms in Los Cabos are rated 4 and 5 stars. One-third of its properties are all-inclusive, one-third offer a European Plan (EP) and the final third are timeshares. While the destination is known for its luxury EP hotels, it is beginning to compete with other Mexican resort areas in the quality of its all-inclusive product.

Several landmark hotels have converted to all-inclusives, including Marquis and Pueblo Bonito Pacifica (the only Pueblo Bonito to do so). A few new properties, including Grand Velas and Le Blanc, (which is slated to open in February), are owned by Mexico’s leading luxe-inclusive brands.

“The new generation of hotel openings in Los Cabos reflects an elevated level of service as well as unique experiences,” said Jeff Mullen, chief operating officer of Apple Leisure Group, referencing Le Blanc Los Cabos’ “stunning modern architecture” and Grand Velas Los Cabos’ two-star Michelin chef.

Rodrigo Esponda, managing director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board, said that even just counting only the hotels with firm 2018 opening plans, Los Cabos is projected to add an additional 1,200 rooms to its inventory by the end of 2018. In addition to Le Blanc, Montage Los Cabos is also scheduled to debut this year.

Also of note, less than a year after opening, Grand Velas Los Cabos—the newest Velas Resorts property—was awarded the AAA Five Diamond Award.

Destination Weddings

As host location for the 2018 Destination Wedding Planners Congress (April 10-12), Los Cabos will be showcasing its luxury and romance offerings to wedding planners from 60 countries.

In addition to stunning resorts, the destination also offers unusual wedding venues. Sunrider Tours, for example, is outfitting one of its boats for wedding ceremonies and receptions at sea. It can even conduct underwater weddings. Additionally, Acre, a farm-to-table restaurant and bar set on 25 acres in San Jose del Cabo, (and which also features treehouse accommodations), is marketing to destination wedding planners.

READ MORE: Los Cabos by Land or Sea

Fresh Culinary Scene

Acre is just one of San Jose del Cabo’s highly regarded farm-to-table venues. Ivan Gonzalez, an official with the Los Cabos Tourism Board, noted that Flora Farms draws a power crowd with celebrities like Pink and Adam Levine.

“The farm-to-table culinary movement is new to Mexico, but Los Cabos started the trend,” Gonzalez said.

He added that most of the destination’s local produce is grown in Puerto Los Cabos near San Jose and that efforts are underway to source local meats as well. Of course, locally caught seafood has always been a draw.

Additionally, visitors who enjoy wandering around town and discovering distinctive casual dining experiences will find a new crop of dine-around market establishments. They bring local food vendors (tortilla makers, grill cooks, etc.) under one roof so that visitors can experience all of it without traveling to multiple locations.

“Whether it be El Merkado [in San Jose del Cabo] with a modern food hall of different restaurants and retailers or the new Market at Quivira within Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort, local market-style installations focus on freshness, quality and a shared experience,” said Apple Leisure Group’s Mullen.

READ MORE: 3 Can't-Miss Los Cabos Stays

Eco-Tourism Experiences

The Los Cabos region has long been recognized as an eco-tourism mecca of sorts, both on land and around the Sea of Cortez. Whale-watching season, from October to April, is always one of the first activities recommended to new visitors.

For travelers who love marine life and will travel for a special encounter, La Paz one-ups the traditional whale-watching experience with a “swim with whale sharks” experience from October through April. (Another fun outdoor activity to suggest to clients who might head out to La Paz is renting ATVs to drive around the surrounding dunes and desert.)

If your clients want something a bit tamer, Wild Canyon, Cabo Outfitters, Pelagic Safaris and various other activity providers (some of which are partnered with hotels) offer sea turtle release programs.