Los Cabos Sets Sights on Canadian Travellers

Los Cabos Tourism is positioning itself as a compelling alternative to other sun destinations, one defined by boutique properties, diverse landscapes, and a premium service culture; and is setting its sights on getting more Canadians there in 2026.

At a media lunch on Friday (March 20), Rodrigo Esponda, Managing Director of Los Cabos Tourism said it’s the perfect time.

“We believe that travellers now are not just looking for experiences. They want to connect their emotions with the place, with the destination.”

Canadians are the second largest international market, with an average stay of 11 nights and average spend of $4600 CDN, making us one of the strongest-performing international growth markets for Los Cabos in 2025. Canadian visitation was 215,933 in 2025, up 10% over year and 9.3% of total international arrivals.

Esponda says unlike larger, high-density destinations in Mexico such as Cancun, Los Cabos offers a more intimate hotel landscape. The destination features approximately 19,000 rooms, split between roughly 9,000 all-inclusive and 10,000 European Plan (EP) properties. Notably, the average hotel size is just 200 rooms, with even larger properties considered modest by international standards.

This lower-density approach is intentional. Strict development regulations, often limiting construction to one hotel per 10 hectares and imposing height restrictions, preserve both the natural environment and the destination’s upscale positioning. New developments, such as the upcoming Grand Hyatt with approximately 300 rooms, reflect this carefully calibrated growth strategy.

For clients accustomed to Mexico’s Caribbean coast, Los Cabos delivers a distinctly different experience across three core areas: Climate, Experiences and Service.

“With Los Cabos, it used to be that everything was concentrated in this between San Jose and Cabo San Lucas,” Esponda explains. “Now it’s getting much more growth in terms of where the hotels are. There are interesting hotels in the Pacific side, such as the Grand Hyatt, St Regis and Conrad in the area in between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose and many more coming.”

Esponda says the destination’s dry desert climate offers year-round comfort, with low humidity making outdoor activities such as golf and hiking, doable even in summer. The dry environment also means minimal mosquito presence, a notable advantage for many travellers. While beachfront remains central, he says Los Cabos’ appeal extends far beyond the water due to the Sierra de la Laguna mountains which are home to unique endemic bird species and adventure tourism opportunities. With tourism as its primary economic driver, service standards are consistently high across the destination, not only in hotels but throughout the visitor experience.

Los Cabos is also redefining expectations within the all-inclusive segment. Properties such as Grand Velas exemplify the destination’s premium positioning, offering high-end design, refined culinary programs, and even Michelin-star dining.

While Los Cabos has traditionally drawn strong demand from Western Canada, the destination is actively targeting growth in Ontario and Eastern markets. Flight times are competitive with many other Caribbean destinations; it’s approximately 5.5 hours from Toronto.

Esponda says the tourism board plans to work with the trade to further build awareness through targeted marketing initiatives and trade partnerships which include active participation in ACTA events and advisor engagement programs, ongoing roadshows across Canada and FAM trips.

“Los Cabos has is this incredible mixture of the desert, the mountains and the sea,” adds Ann Layton, Founder and CEO Siren Communications who represents the tourism board in Canada. “And for people who are interested in that, it provides so many opportunities to do things outside of just relaxing on the beach. The ocean is teeming with with life and just as interesting is what you find inland.

Canadians have embraced it.”