The future of tourism in Baja California depends on how well the state can coordinate and strengthen every point of contact a visitor experiences from the moment they arrive, according to Andrés Martínez Bremer, President of Proturismo de Ensenada and of the Mexican Association of Hotels and Motels of Ensenada (AMHME).
Martínez Bremer emphasized that the tourist experience does not begin at a hotel, restaurant, or winery. Instead, it starts the moment a person crosses the border, lands at an airport, or steps off a cruise ship. Factors such as mobility, signage, accessibility, safety, cleanliness, information, and hospitality all shape a visitor’s overall perception of the destination.
“Experiences don’t happen by accident; they are designed,” he said. “And when they aren’t designed, it shows.”
While Baja California boasts significant strengths including its geographic location, border proximity, coastline, gastronomy, wine country, natural attractions, culture, hospitality, and tourism infrastructure, Martínez Bremer warned that a failure at any single touchpoint can undermine the visitor’s overall impression.
Major international events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup offer a valuable opportunity to rethink how destinations are prepared, especially given Baja California’s proximity to Southern California, one of the region’s most important source markets for tourism.
“Baja California does not need to host a match to learn from that global conversation,” he said. “What matters is building permanent capabilities to welcome visitors better, connect more effectively, and turn every visit into a reason to return.”
During a recent meeting of the Baja California Tourism Advisory Council, Martínez Bremer announced the proposal to establish a permanent working committee dedicated to reviewing and redesigning the tourist experience from arrival to departure. The proposal was agreed upon for follow-up.
He praised the swift response from Miguel Ángel Vadiola, Baja California’s Secretary of Tourism, in supporting the creation of this permanent committee. According to Martínez Bremer, such agreements allow stakeholders to move from conversation to coordination, and from coordination to concrete solutions.
The proposed committee would include participation from all three levels of government, business organizations, tourism service providers, airport and port authorities, border officials, transportation companies, and community representatives. Its goal would be to identify areas for improvement and establish effective coordination mechanisms.
“The visitor does not distinguish between administrative jurisdictions or institutional responsibilities,” Martínez Bremer stated. “They evaluate the experience as a whole and decide whether the destination runs smoothly or feels complicated.”
Many of the issues that affect the tourist experience can be addressed simply through better communication among stakeholders, alignment of goals, ongoing coordination, and regular review of processes that impact visitor movement and stay, he argued. Not all challenges require major financial investment; some can be corrected through mutual understanding, goodwill, and improved collaboration among those who make up the tourism system.
Finally, Martínez Bremer noted that tourism promotion must go hand in hand with continuous design and evaluation of the visitor experience: infrastructure, mobility, accessibility, safety, cleanliness, hospitality, and information.
“A competitive destination is not just promoted,” he concluded. “It is designed, cared for, coordinated, and constantly evaluated.”
