SAN DIEGO, CA.- From April 28th to May 1st, our neighbors in Baja California will host the "Tianguis Turístico México 2025," the most important tourism event in the country. This huge event will bring together national and international tourism industry professionals.
The fair will feature 32 states of Mexico showcasing their best tourism offerings, destinations, attractions, and cultural and culinary richness to the world.
This event, which will be held at the “Baja Center” (Metropolitan Convention Center), located on the oceanfront in Playas de Rosarito, is expected to attract 775 companies, with more than 1,150 registered buyers from 35 different countries.
Tour operators from the United States, Canada, Japan, China, South Korea, and Singapore will participate, as well as travel agents from Europe and South America. A total of 10,000 people are expected to attend, including buyers, exhibitors, and tourism industry leaders.
With all that being said, what makes this event so special and why is it so important for San Diego and Southern California?
In 1975, the Mexican National Tourism Council held the first version of the “Tianguis”, it was called the "Acapulco International Hotel and Travel Agency Fair." Due to its success, in 1976 they decided to hold this event annually in the port of Acapulco, under the name "Tianguis Turístico", consolidating its position as the most important tourism promotion event in Latin America.
Starting in 2012, the decision was made to take the event to other host destinations, holding one year in Acapulco and the next year in a different location. The first of the alternate venues was Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit. Other destinations that have hosted this event include Puebla, the Riviera Maya, Guadalajara, Mazatlán, Mérida, and Mexico City.
For the first time ever, the “Tianguis Turístico” will be held in a border state like Baja California, which has increasingly been positioned as one of Mexico's top tourist destinations, due to its diverse attractions, its Wine Country, and its avant-garde cuisine, now internationally recognized.
But the most attractive element, which Mexican tourism authorities have been promoting as a differentiating factor in this edition of the “Tianguis Turístico”, is its binational nature, as this is the first time in history that this event will include activities in another country, in this case, San Diego, California.
As a part of the “Tianguis Turístico”, the event "A Window to Mexico in San Diego" will be held on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27. This event will be used to promote Mexico's natural, cultural, artistic, artisanal, and gastronomic wealth. It will take place at Liberty Station, with free admission to the public.
However, beyond this event organized by the Tourism authorities and the Mexican Consulate in San Diego, the “Tianguis Turístico” represents a great opportunity for this city. Mainly due to the number of buyers and tour operators from different countries, who will attend this event and will be able to know the potential that this binational region has for creating tourist packages that include destinations in Mexico and Southern California.
It was back in the 1990s, when there was greater communication and collaboration between Tijuana and San Diego Tourism authorities, that the "Two Nation Vacation" promotion emerged. At that time, land border crossings were not as serious a problem as they are today due to the long wait times.
However, back then, the airport infrastructure that exists today in both Tijuana and San Diego was nonexistent. The Tijuana Airport has become the second most connected airport in the country, and the fourth most important nationwide, with more than 12 million passengers expected in 2024.
It has its own border bridge called "Cross Border Xpress" (CBX),which is the only one of its kind worldwide. This bridge facilitates border crossings for more than 4 million passengers each year, avoiding long lines and wait times at land border crossings, as it is exclusively for those using the Tijuana airport.
This border infrastructure allows those wanting to visit San Diego or Southern California to take flights to Tijuana from within Mexico, or connect potential tourists from Asia, Europe, or Central and South America from Mexico City.
Additionally, an investment of nearly 10 billion pesos, approximately $500 million USD, was recently announced for the expansion and modernization of the Tijuana Airport terminal. Meanwhile, the San Diego Airport is doing the same to add a super Terminal 1 this year, which will allow it to expand its operations.
Another point to highlight is that many of the event's attendees will have the option of flying to San Diego to cross the border to the Baja Center, and may even choose to stay in hotels located in this Californian city. In response to that, Baja California’s state and municipal authorities have already met with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, to discuss this important event and the cross-border shuttle bus routes that will be established as part of the transportation logistics for participants.
For all these reasons and many more, San Diego is becoming a key city as part of this 49th edition of the "Tianguis Turístico México 2025."
Photos: SECTUR México / Visit San Diego @VisitSanDiego (Instagram)
