LOS CABOS — As Canadian visitation to Los Cabos reaches new heights this year, the Los Cabos Tourism Board is negotiating for more airlift from Canada, especially from Ontario and Quebec.

As reported last week at the kick off to the 2025 Los Cabos VIP Summit, the number of Canadians visiting Los Cabos this year is expected to break a record, with 240,000 visitors vs. 200,000 in 2024. Thatʻs a 20% growth rate compared to 11% the previous year.

“The 20% growth this year is mostly from the east and that’s exactly what we wanted. That’s why it’s so relevant we have more airlift from Montreal and Toronto,” Rodrigo Esponda, Managing Director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board, told Travelweek.

MORE TRAVELLERS, MORE LIFT

He added that starting next month WestJet will join Air Canada and offer flights to Los Cabos from Montreal and Toronto. Espondo is in talks with the airline to see if they will consider offering flights year round and not just in the winter from the east.

WestJet and Sunwing Vacations already offer year-round flights from Alberta and B.C.

Canadians flying out of YVR represent nearly 41% of Canadian traffic to Los Cabos; 26.5% fly out of YYC, and 16% fly from YYZ.

“It’s critical to have more Canadians coming, especially from the east, because we are already very well positioned from the west,” said Esponda.

He said talks are also underway with Porter Airlines – but nothing definite has been negotiated.

“As a destination we believe we are perfectly aligned with [Porter],” said Esponda, adding that should Porter begin offering lift to Los Cabos, those flights would likely be coming from Montreal and Toronto, where lift is most needed.

Esponda said research from the Los Cabos Tourism Board shows Canadians prefer direct flights and spend almost double the amount of time in Los Cabos compared to U.S. visitors. While American travellers typically stay 5.7 days, Canadians stay 10.2 days on average.

Rebeca del Pino, Director of Strategic Partnerships for Sunwing Vacations Group, said Sunwing and WestJet together have the biggest share of the Canadian lift to Los Cabos. Combined, the two companies expect to bring 140,000 travellers to the destination for winter 2025-2026.

“Sunwing is loving Los Cabos, and WestJet as well. We have plans on growing capacity if everything goes as well and demand stays where it is,” she said.

“ITʻS A HIGHER QUALITY DESTINATION AND THEREʻS A MARKET IN CANADA FOR THAT”

Barbara Polanco, Product Manager, WestJet Vacations, added that Los Cabos is a “very important destination for WestJet, particularly from Alberta and B.C., with over 21 flights per week in the winter.”

Polanco added: “It’s a higher quality destination and I think there’s a market within Canada that is looking for that. Somewhere that is a little bit outside of the norm and has all of the different adventure and sustainability activities, along with the fishing, golfing and the traditional water sports.”

Esponda agreed, adding that Canadians want value – whether thatʻs at a luxury property or a more moderately priced hotel. He also noted that Canadians are interested in the excursions and activities available in Los Cabos.

“It’s not only the beach. Thereʻs the mountains, the desert, the towns, the culture. We have San Jose – there’s no other San Jose in the country. It’s a very authentic town with a lot of studios, art galleries, fine dining,” he said.

Another Canadian delegate at this yearʻs Los Cabos VIP Summit was Jorge Felix Salazar, Sales Manager with The Special Travel Corporation, a wholesale tour operator serving about 3,300 Canadian travel agents.

He said Los Cabos is a “very popular destination with an increasing number of people who see Los Cabos as an alternative destination to spend the winter.”

Salazar said  while The Special Travel Corporation began offering Los Cabos as a destination last June and is currently working with 15 properties, after the Los Cabos VIP Summit new contacts were made and he expects to double the number of the companyʻs properties on offer in Los Cabos.

NEW HOTELS ON THE WAY

According to the Los Cabos Tourism Board, some US$900 million in destination investment is in the works, and more than 1,200 new luxury rooms will be added over the next three to four years.

Recent openings included the Park Hyatt Los Cabos at Cabo del Sol, which opened Nov. 21, and the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal which opened in October. Also notable were the 2024 openings of the Tropicana Los Cabos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton and the Four Seasons Resort Cabo San Lucas at Cabo del Sol.

Upcoming openings include Soho House & Beach Club, St. Regis Los Cabos at Quivira & St. Regis Residences, Park Hyatt Los Cabos, Rosewood Residences Old Lighthouse, Amanvari, Grand Hyatt, SIRO Palmilla and Raffles Hotel and Resort.

As well, Anima Village, featuring over 80 luxury retail and high-end dining restaurants, is scheduled to open in December near the Park Hyatt Los Cabos.

The Los Cabos Tourism Board is represented in Canada by Siren Communications. For more information about the annual Los Cabos VIP Summit click here. For more information about Los Cabos go to VisitLosCabos.travel.

Lead image caption: Rodrigo Esponda, Managing Director, Los Cabos Tourism Board (all photos courtesy Kim Pemberton)