Proving they are staying on top of all the latest travel trends, Los Cabos has just been named Mexico’s number-one destination for wellness-centered vacations. In spite of facing heavy competition from other coastal cities within the country, such as Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, we can now confirm the Capes are this year’s favorite.
Throughout 2022, we have been tracked Los Cabos’ rise from California’s beach retreat to international stardom: it is already Latin America’s absolute leader in luxury travel, a recent partnership with AirBnB will transform it into an official digital nomad haven, and now, the wellness segment has found a permanent home in the Pacific.
But how exactly did we get here?
Research Names Mexico As Latin America’s Wellness Hub
According to research conducted by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a nonprofit organization whose aim is to promote the movement worldwide, Mexico and Los Cabos, to an extent, have been at the forefront of the ‘wellness scene’, which has seen a boom since it was acknowledged as an emerging market all the way back in 2017.
GWI affirmed Mexico has the ‘greatest presence’ of wellness hubs across all of Latin America. Historically, there has been limited demand for this type of tourism, but as the Institute points out, the health anxiety resulting from the health crisis has rekindled interest in both ‘physical and psychological well-being’.
The Los Cabos Hotel Association (LCHA) defines wellness as being nature-based tourism where relaxation practices are widely encouraged, like meditation and healthy eating. Numerous resorts in Cabo already prioritize a more tranquil atmosphere, offering lush green areas and spas where body treatments and other therapies are available.
Two, in particular, have been identified by tourists as the top two hotels for holistic holidays:
- Casa Dorada
- One Only Palmilla
Casa Dorado is known for being a ‘family-first’ accommodation provider with a laid-back vibe and pet-friendly policies. For relaxing, visitors are free to choose from an extensive list of services at the SaltwaterSpa: facials, body, massages, manicures, and pedicures. Fares for an overnight stay start from USD 324.00 on Trip.com.
The second option – One Only Palmilla – focuses not only on wellness but on luxury, providing a ‘heartfelt butler service’ catering to guests’ ‘every need’, and listing spacious rooms, charming villas, and their One & Only Spa as some of their strongest assets. Both resorts have been recognized for their excellence in numerous publications, including Travel + Leisure.
Travelers Want To Reconnect With Nature And Prioritize Well-Being
Lilzi Orcí Fregoso, the Executive President of the LCHA, noted herself the pandemic has changed the profile of the average Cabo guest. In Fregoso’s view, they want ‘open spaces’ and closer contact with nature, corroborating earlier findings that concluded 74 percent of travelers are looking for ‘natural world experiences’.
Fregoso remarks The Capes go ‘very well’ with this trend because it has ‘a lot to offer’ on the nature front, such as a scenic coastline featuring the iconic arched geological formation jutting out of the ocean, marine parks and protected natural reserves, and countless sandy beaches that are perfect for sunbathing and swimming.
The Executive President stated it is of great importance that Los Cabos maintain its level of competitiveness in the niche by improving its five-star products further or building new wellness centers. Should it keep the momentum, it has the potential to surpass a currently untouchable Cancun as the country’s most loved sunny break.
So far in 2022, the dual destination of The Capes has accumulated a record growth of 17.9 compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, higher than Cancun’s own 14.6 and any other tourist site within Mexico. The fact that it has mostly avoided bad press in the wake of a violence surge across the nation certainly helped.
During the fall, Los Cabos and the wider Baja California Sur have achieved and maintained a Level 2 status on the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisories. This means they are not classed by the American Government as a particularly dangerous destination, unlike the states of Colima, Guerrero, Sinaloa, and Zacatecas.
