Tourism in Baja California is not being promoted exclusively to visitors from outside the state. The government is also investing in a program designed to help local residents discover destinations they may not otherwise have the opportunity to visit.
Known as Corazones Viajeros, the social tourism initiative has a 6 million-peso budget (approximately $352,000) for 2026 and aims to take approximately 5,000 children, teenagers, adults and seniors from priority groups on organized trips across Baja California’s seven municipalities.
Miguel Ángel Badiola Montaño, Baja California’s Secretary of Tourism, said the initiative is intended to make the state’s natural, cultural and tourism attractions more accessible to its own residents while strengthening their connection with the region.
The program combines recreation with a broader goal: encouraging residents to learn about the state’s landscapes, culture and communities while directing tourism activity toward local destinations and businesses.
What does Corazones Viajeros offer?
Rather than functioning as a conventional vacation program, Corazones Viajeros organizes group excursions for Baja California residents, covering much of the cost and logistics of each outing.
The 2026 program includes 166 trips between August and December, with groups of at least 30 participants. Depending on the destination, individual routes can last as long as 10 hours.
Participants receive round-trip transportation, guided tours, admission to cultural venues and tourist attractions, a lunch box, travel insurance and a trip coordinator.
This structure allows people from priority groups to participate without having to arrange transportation, admission or other basic logistics themselves.
Bringing residents to the state’s tourism destinations
The program also serves an economic purpose. By bringing organized groups to different communities, the state hopes to generate a steady flow of visitors for restaurants, attractions, transportation providers and other businesses involved in the local tourism industry.
The initiative works with organizations and tourism businesses including El Trompo Interactive Museum, Siñaw Kuatay, Mictlán, ABC Buses, Don Tomás Vineyards, Jersey Park Children’s Zoo and DIF Baja California, among others.
The destinations reflect the variety of tourism experiences available within the state, ranging from natural areas and wetlands to gastronomy, volcanic landscapes and outdoor activities.
San Quintín among the latest destinations
One of the program’s latest outings took place in San Quintín on August 25, bringing together children, adults and seniors for a day centered on attractions and activities associated with the municipality’s tourism offerings.
Badiola Montaño encouraged participants to share their experiences with friends and relatives after returning home, with the idea that residents can also become ambassadors for destinations within their own state.
For the state government, that is part of the broader purpose behind social tourism: not simply giving residents a day trip, but helping them discover the places, history and landscapes that make up Baja California while supporting the communities that depend on tourism.
