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Promoting Sustainable Tourism in Santiago BCS

Generation of a collaborative tourism network, with identity and best practices, to make Santiago, Baja California Sur, the 1st sustainable destination in Los Cabos.

Municipality

MX
Los Cabos, Baja California Sur,

Category / Sub-Category / Topic

Economic development, Tourism

Type of investment needed

Grant

Associated SDGs

The challenge

The challenge is to enhance Alternative Tourism (based on identity, culture, and the conservation of natural resources) as the main axis of tourism in Santiago, Baja California Sur. Strengthening existing activities related to low-impact tourism segments: Ecotourism, Birdwatching Tourism, Gastronomic Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Rural Tourism, etc.; as well as the adoption of new and better sustainable practices that promote local economic development.

The project

The initiative "Promoting Sustainable Tourism in Santiago BCS" aims to position Santiago, Baja California Sur, as the 1st Sustainable Destination in Los Cabos within 5 years. This will be achieved through the creation of a collaborative and sustainable tourism network with identity. The initiative aims to meet the demand for services from local, national, and international tourists while accelerating the municipality's transition to sustainability by gradually integrating ventures from the three remaining delegations.

The initiative, Santiago Sostenible, is divided into 3 stages (Year 1 to 5). This proposal seeks funding for only the first 2 years. The initiative revolves around the following axes:

  • Axis 1: Comprehensive Information - Gathering strategic information, including contact details, commercial aspects, perceived needs, and technical data from the ventures joining the initiative.
  • Axis 2: Strengthening Tourism Offer - This axis involves diagnostics to identify the maturity status, progress, best practices, and contributions of participating ventures to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also includes activities to strengthen organizational and commercial aspects of participating ventures, infrastructure development, content strengthening for micro-tourist circuits, value chain creation, and the creation of an executive document containing general inputs, which will later give life to the action plan for implementing sustainable tourism over the years.
  • Axis 3: Tourism Promotion - This includes the actions to be implemented to promote the initiative and sustainable tourism among local, national, and international visitors.

Know more...

Located in the northwest of Mexico, in the state of Baja California Sur (BCS), Los Cabos (a municipality consisting of 4 Delegations) is one of the three most important destinations in Mexico internationally. Information from the Strategic Information Documents for Los Cabos (2022 and 2023) from the Ministry of Tourism and Economy (SETUE) of the Government of Baja California Sur indicates that in 2019, it received 2.8 million tourists (72% international visitors), and it is expected to close 2023 with 4 million (Tribuna de México 8/12/2023). Currently, 55.8% of the population residing in Los Cabos comes from other states in Mexico, mainly due to employment opportunities in tourism, including conventional, mass, and luxury tourism (the latter confirmed by El Financiero in its article "Los Cabos consolidates itself as a luxury tourist destination in 2023" dated August 31, 2023).

In 2022, Los Cabos had: 1) 181 hotels and 21,434 rooms; 2) 759 tourist marina spaces; 3) 18 golf courses; and 4) received 289 cruise ships (Strategic Information for Los Cabos, 2023). It strengthens the predominant segments: Sun and Beach Tourism, Sports and Nautical Tourism, Business Tourism, and Wellness Tourism, mainly targeting international visitors. However, there is little focus on Alternative Tourism, present in rural communities like Santiago with a population of 760 inhabitants, which despite having rich cultural and natural resources, does not play a significant role in the municipality's tourism offerings. Activities related to Birdwatching, Agrotourism, Scientific Tourism, Ecotourism, Gastronomy Tourism, Cultural Tourism, with low impact, are conducted in Santiago. The lack of sustainable activities in Santiago, BCS, causes: 1) local ventures with good practices or sustainable vision to be at risk; 2) the lack of sustainable use of natural resources; 3) youth migration due to the absence of well-paying local jobs, leading to population aging and the weakening of traditional knowledge.

The rural locality of Santiago, BCS, boasts great biocultural richness, evidenced by the Natural Protected Area (NPA) of the Sierra La Laguna Biosphere Reserve (REBIOSLA). It is also a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MaB) site and part of the Ramsar Site of the Riparian System of the San José del Cabo Basin. It serves as the habitat for 154 out of the 367 reported resident and migratory bird species for the municipality. Additionally, it is the primary water supply source for the municipality, enabling productive activities such as agriculture, beekeeping, livestock farming, pottery, and leatherwork. These activities have allowed the development of segments of Alternative Tourism (Ecotourism, Birdwatching, Agrotourism, Scientific Tourism, Rural Tourism, and Cultural Tourism).

There is no data on tourist influx in Los Cabos or Santiago. However, according to the publication "Diagnosis and analysis of social and economic aspects in the Sierra La Laguna Biosphere Reserve, Baja California Sur, Mexico" by CIBNOR in 2013, estimates from the REBIOSLA suggest that the Reserve receives approximately 5000 people annually, with peak times during Easter, Day of the Dead, September 16th, and November 20th. Furthermore, the general characteristics of visitors to the REBIOSLA indicate that 95% of visitors to the NPA are locals.

The lack of sustainable economic activities aligned with local culture leads to migration due to the lack of local employment opportunities, population aging caused by migration, the exploitation of natural resources demanded by the predominant conventional, mass, and luxury economic model (Sun and Beach Tourism, Business Tourism, Sports and Nautical Tourism, and Wellness Tourism), and the weakening of traditional knowledge both due to the decrease in intergenerational exchange and transculturation.

Despite the Municipal Development Program (MDP) of the Municipality of Los Cabos for 2021-2024 proposing Specific Objective -2.1.2- to promote ecotourism to diversify sun and beach tourism for the benefit of rural communities and, within this objective, Goal 1: Increase by 15% the people engaged in ecotourism activities in rural communities, as well as visitors to the sites, the program lacks a baseline from which to calculate these indicators.

The lack of a productive diagnosis and the tourism industry in the city prevents a proper understanding of the severity of the problem and establishing a starting point for its growth.

Axis 1: Comprehensive information

1. Comprehensive Registry of Local Ventures (PIEL) for Sustainable Santiago Delegation with information (contact, commercial data, perceived needs, and areas of opportunity) of the 1st Sustainable Santiago Generation (local ventures that participated in the Santiago Sustainable Change Network (RCSS) and their suppliers who wish to be part of the initiative). The PIEL will serve as the baseline from which efforts and resources will be directed.

2. Technical sheets with information about each venture of the 1st Generation and its suppliers (to understand their current status in commercial data, perceived needs, and areas of opportunity).

Axis 2: Strengthening of the Tourism Offer

3. Tourist Product, Thematic Tourist Circuits, and Value Chains for Sustainable Santiago: Based on the PIEL, an analysis of its information will be conducted to determine the initial maturation status (Initiation, Development, and Consolidation) of local ventures. The local ventures that participated in the sustainable Santiago change networks will be strengthened in the commercial aspects, perceived needs, and areas of opportunity outlined in the PIEL.

Existing tourist packages and registered tourist experiences will be strengthened, and new ones will be created for those without them. Their products and services will be strengthened to enhance them individually, collectively, and thus fortify part of Santiago Delegation's tourist offer comprehensively.

An assessment will be made regarding the contribution of participating local ventures to the Sustainable Development Goals. Proposals for tourist circuits will be generated.

A proposal for tourist circuits will be created, and at least 3 of them should be operational this year. Based on this, the Sustainable Santiago Tourist Product will be generated.

Potential value chains to strengthen will be mapped out.

A mechanism will also be devised to measure, for the first time, the influx of local, national, and international visitors to the Santiago Delegation through comprehensive action.

Axis 3: Tourism Promotion

4. Tourist agenda that integrates the community's tourism activities throughout the year and one more event resulting from the Sustainable Santiago initiative. This will strengthen tourism promotion since one of the municipality's challenges is the timely, scheduled, and comprehensive communication and dissemination of tourism and cultural activities. This will contribute to showcasing both the ventures and tourist circuits included in the initiative and enhancing tourism influx—primarily local and from international residents, gradually increasing national and international tourism—in the Santiago BCS community and, consequently, strengthening the positive impacts it brings.

5. Tourist Catalog of the Sustainable Santiago Delegation - with strategic information about the ventures participating in the initiative and maps of the generated circuits.

6. Tourism promotion campaign for Santiago BCS.

Resultados directos:

  • Comprehensive Registry of Local Ventures (PIEL Sustainable Santiago Delegation and Second Sustainable Delegation) with strategically created, enriched, and updated information.
  • Initial diagnosis of maturation status and progress diagnoses (at the end of each year), generated.
  • 11 strengthened ventures.
  • Sustainable Los Cabos Website, tourist products, and promotional materials created.
  • 3 proposed operating micro-tourist circuits + 3 identified.
  • Enriched tourist catalog.
  • 2 Fam Trips with stakeholders and ventures from our initiative generated.
  • A diagnosis of the contribution of participating ventures to the SDGs produced.
  • 1st and 2nd Sustainable Santiago Festivals held.
  • Executive document co-created by the Change Network, containing general inputs for the Sustainable Tourism Alternative Program (PAST) that will govern the Sustainable Santiago Delegation for the implementation of Sustainable Tourism drafted.

Expected Impact

  • Increase the number of ventures in consolidation status by 33% in 12 months.
  • Increase the maturation level of ventures in progress status by 200% in 12 months.

  • Los Cabos City Government e instituciones que lo conformen y Delegación Santiago
  • ITES Los Cabos
  • Alianza para la Soberanía Alimentaria (ASA)
  • National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) and Sierra La Laguna Biosphere Reserve
  • Tourism and Economy Secretariat (SETUE) of Baja California Sur
  • Legacy Works
  • Conservation of the Mexican Insular Territory (ISLA) AC
  • Los Cabos Hotel Association (AHLC)
  • Los Cabos Tourism Trust (FITURCA)
  • Autonomous University of Baja California Sur (ABCS) Academic Extension Los Cabos
  • Santiago Landois Álvarez Icaza, Subdirector of Environmental Sustainability at IMPLAN Los Cabos (slandois@implanloscabos.mx)
  • Verónica Castro Rosas, Representative of Santiago Sustainable Market (rosasveronica4@hotmail.com)
  • Ariadna Colette Perpuli Ceseña; Professor at the Division of Tourism, Academic Subdirectorate (ITES Los Cabos) (ariadnac.pc@loscabos.tecnm.mx)
  • Jasibe Arias Valencia; Tourism Student (ITES Los Cabos) (jasibe89@gmail.com)
  • Jesús Ariel González Montoya, Planning Coordinator at IMPLAN Los Cabos (jgonzalez@implanloscabos.mx)
  • Daniela Ocón Gallegos, Specialized Assistant in Urban Design at IMPLAN Los Cabos (docon@implanloscabos.mx)

Investment

(*): In kind/pro bonus

(**): Financing

Goods and inputs
Funds
Needed
Covered
Solicited

15 ordenadores portátiles (*) (**)

u$s 13618.29

u$s 0.00

u$s 13618.29

2 GPS (*) (**)

u$s 835.20

u$s 0.00

u$s 835.20

2 Suscripciones a Microsoft 365 Personal por 1 año (Para 10 computadoras, 10 celulares, más 10 tablets) (*) (**)

u$s 185.17

u$s 0.00

u$s 185.17

TICS (Mural, Zoom, WIX, Canva Equipo) (*) (**)

u$s 848.69

u$s 0.00

u$s 848.69

Papelería, impresiones, toners y cartuchos (*) (**)

u$s 848.69

u$s 0.00

u$s 848.69

PC de escritorio

u$s 4357.73

u$s 4357.73

u$s 0.00

Services
Funds
Needed
Covered
Solicited

Desarrollo de Web Site (*) (**)

u$s 1379.32

u$s 0.00

u$s 1379.32

Diseñadora Gráfica (*) (**)

u$s 1500.28

u$s 0.00

u$s 1500.28

Consultoría para desarrollo del Programa Altenativo de Turismo Sostenible (PAST) Delegación Santiago (*) (**)

u$s 13789.79

u$s 0.00

u$s 13789.79

Consultores (Fortalecimiento y creación de paquetes, productos turísticos y experiencias)

u$s 25014.47

u$s 0.00

u$s 25014.47

Human resources
Funds
Needed
Covered
Solicited

1 Persona Responsable de la Coordinación del Programa (*) (**)

u$s 12002.08

u$s 0.00

u$s 12002.08

1 Persona Resonsable del Área Contable y Administrativa (*) (**)

u$s 8401.38

u$s 0.00

u$s 8401.38

1 Especialista IMPLAN Los Cabos (*)

u$s 24293.22

u$s 24293.22

u$s 0.00

2 Auxiliares Técnicos y 9 Auxiliares Técnicos Locales (*)

u$s 48229.29

u$s 48229.29

u$s 0.00

Cuerpo técnico de 5 especialistas

u$s 80579.27

u$s 80579.27

u$s 0.00

Others
Funds
Needed
Covered
Solicited

1er y 2do Festival Santiago Sostenible (gasolina, pago de actividades culturales y artísticas, impresiones, pago alimentos de expositores y staff etc) (*) (**)

u$s 5526.17

u$s 0.00

u$s 5526.17

2 Fam Trip (Emprendimientos + stakeholders)

u$s 4632.31

u$s 0.00

u$s 4632.31

TOTAL AMOUNTS:

u$s 246041.35

u$s 157459.51

u$s 88581.84

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