Baja California lured 9.3 million foreign visitors so far this year, up 12 percent from the same period last year, the state governor’s office said in a press release Monday.
Officials said the spike in tourism was especially notable over the weekend of July 25-26, when at least 260,000 people visited the state. That’s more than any other weekend since 2007.
“Baja California is living its best tourism moment in eight years,” said Óscar Jesús Escobedo Carignan, the minister of tourism for the state.
He attributed the increase to coordinated efforts between the private sector and the state government to attract visitors, as well as good weather.
Escobedo said hotel occupancy rose in all of the state’s traditional tourism hubs. The jump was centered around Rosarito, Ensenada and San Felipe.
Tourists this weekend spent $66.2 million in the state’s hotels, restaurants, bars, gas stations and other businesses, according to the press release.
Escobedo said Baja California could have a record tourism year if current trends continue.
