San Miguel de Allende is buzzing with new developments this month, from the announcement of a major national tourism summit to investments in infrastructure, technology, literature and wine. As the city continues to grow and evolve, we asked residents and visitors in a separate feature, how they feel about these changes. Read their perspectives here.
This month, the headlines reflect the city’s dynamic mix of tourism, culture and innovation. Here’s a look at what’s making news in San Miguel de Allende.
City to host National Tourism Summit
San Miguel de Allende will take center stage in Mexico’s tourism industry when it hosts the fifth National Tourism Summit from September 3–5, 2025. The theme this year is “The New Tourism: Culture and Prosperity.” It will be the first time the high-level tourism industry gathering has been held outside Mexico City.
Organized by CUMBRES HUB, a platform that connects leaders across sectors to engage in dialogue and develop strategies for sustainable growth, the summit will gather more than 120 government officials, legislators, investors and academics to discuss how cultural tourism can help position Mexico among the five most-visited countries in the world, and how the sector can be a catalyst for sustainable, equitable development.
The city’s host role comes at a time of strong tourism performance for the UNESCO World Heritage city. According to Jorge Olalde, president of the San Miguel de Allende Hotel Association, the city is maintaining its position as Guanajuato’s top destination for hotel occupancy.
“We’re currently at 42%, but the annual projection is 44%, which suggests the coming months could be very positive,” Olalde noted, referencing seasonal peaks due to festivals and upcoming fall holidays that could push San Miguel’s numbers even higher.
At the same time, city leaders are working to address perception challenges following the recent U.S. travel advisory discouraging travel to Guanajuato. San Miguel Mayor Mauricio Trejo Pureco described the alert as “extremely serious and dangerous,” warning of its potential impact on the state’s economy, which relies on tourism for 84% of its revenues.
In a recent address, Trejo highlighted the importance of seeing the city’s 16,000 U.S. expat residents as partners and friends, noting that each month they contribute thousands of free breakfasts, support cultural programs and help build community centers. The mayor also emphasized the value of sister-city partnerships with places like Palm Springs and Santa Fe as symbols of confidence in the city.
“We need to be hand-in-hand with each other,” he said, adding that fostering a culture of respect among all residents and visitors is the foundation for maintaining the city’s vitality and welcoming reputation.
Infrastructure projects aim to boost connectivity
La Libertad boulevard, which connects San Miguel with the town of Dolores Hidalgo, has officially opened its four lanes to traffic, marking a major step in improving connectivity between two of Guanajuato’s most notable municipalities. Built with hydraulic concrete, the 30-kilometer road includes a bidirectional bike lane, lighting, bridges, returns and other safety features.
The boulevard represents an investment of more than 3 billion pesos and is considered a vital step toward strengthening regional development.
Though the La Libertad project is still only 95.8% complete — with sidewalks, drainage, signage and landscaping pending due to recent heavy rains — state officials expect final work to be finished by September 10.
At the same time, a state legislator is pushing for the planned Guadalajara–Mexico City passenger train to include a stop in San Miguel de Allende, noting the city’s status as Guanajuato’s flagship tourism destination and the fact that existing rail tracks already run through San Miguel, meaning the corridor would mainly require rehabilitation and a station to return to service.
Currently, the train route is slated to make stops in the following Guanajuato cities:
- Salamanca
- Apaseo al Alto
- Celaya
- Irapuato
- Villagrán
- León
Together, these initiatives highlight how the city increasingly sees infrastructure as a cornerstone for its future, supporting its rapid tourism growth.
San Miguel strengthens its role as a tech hub with new ODATA center
San Miguel de Allende has taken a major step into the digital economy with the opening of a new large-scale data center by the company ODATA on the city’s outskirts. The project represents a significant investment in technology and innovation, designed to enhance data connectivity not only locally but across Latin America.
ODATA has built several major data centers in Mexico and Latin America. These centers are essential for technologies like cloud computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning. The company aims to establish itself as the leading platform of interconnected data centers in Mexico and the region.
ODATA says its new center emphasizes sustainability and energy efficiency, creates 80 highly skilled jobs and positions Guanajuato as a growing tech hub, which helps diversify San Miguel’s economy beyond tourism.
2026 San Miguel Writers’ Conference announces star-studded lineup
The annual San Miguel Writers’ Conference & Literary Festival has unveiled its 2026 program, set for February 11–15 at the Hotel Real de Minas, under the theme “Our Stories, Doors to the World.”
The newly released schedule features some impressive guests.
This year’s keynote speakers include Abraham Verghese, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Rebecca F. Kuang, Emily St. John Mandel, Andrés Neuman and Mixe linguist Yásnaya Elena Aguilar Gil. Special guest and San Miguel local Sandra Cisneros will also join the teaching faculty at this year’s event.
The rest of the conference’s teaching roster features celebrated authors in both English and Spanish, including Eduardo Antonio Parra, Amaranta Caballero, Jean Kwok, Bonny Reichert, Christopher Bollen, Martin Fletcher, Ann Hood, and Hope Edelman.
In addition to the main program, the annual Writing Contest in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction/memoir is now accepting entries in both English and Spanish until September 15. Winners will receive lodging, full admission to the conference’s workshops and events and lodging.
Discounted packages are available through September 1, with additional discounts for students, teachers, Mexican nationals and San Miguel seniors.
Time for the grape harvest celebrations
San Miguel de Allende is a key player in Guanajuato’s 2025 Vendimias, the statewide grape harvest festival season, running Aug. 9–Oct. 18.
Alongside Dolores Hidalgo and Comonfort, San Miguel hosts some of the region’s most anticipated wine events, including vineyard tastings and celebrations at the Gran Reserva Fiesta and at Vendimia Santa Catalina.
The festivals highlight both tradition and growing international recognition. Local winery Viñedo San Miguel has earned prestigious awards this year, including a gold medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards in London, underscoring the state’s reputation as a rising force in global viticulture.
The Vendimias also provide a significant economic boost, with projections of over 12,000 attendees and a total economic impact of 11.6 million pesos for the 2025 season.
Patron saint festivities kick off with ancestral reseña ceremony
San Miguel de Allende officially began its annual patron saint celebrations in honor of San Miguel Arcángel (St. Michael the Archangel) with the traditional Indigenous “reseña” ceremony, a ritual that dates back centuries. During the event this past Sunday, community leaders placed symbolic staffs on the atrial cross, seeking divine permission to carry out the festivities, which culminate on September 29, the Catholic saint’s feast day.
The city is celebrated for its deep Indigenous and religious roots, where centuries-old traditions have endured through adherence to values and customs passed down from the evangelizing friars. The ceremony this year featured offerings, processions and communal meals, involving more than 600 participants, including dancers, families, Indigenous community members and religious image bearers.
The end of the festivities will feature the traditional alborada, which this year continues into the early hours of Oct. 4 in the atrium of the city’s main church, the Parroquia de Arcángel San Miguel, and in the surrounding plaza, with a spectacular display of fireworks.
City prepares for peace march after shootings
Following an armed attack early Monday morning in the city’s Infonavit Malanquín neighborhood during the annual Virgen de San Juan festivities, different sectors of civil society have called for a peaceful march this Friday, August 22, at 10 a.m.
The attack killed two people and wounded at least 17 others, one of whom, according to the newspaper Infobae, later died from injuries sustained at the scene.
Friday’s march will begin at El Cardo street and proceed downtown to the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, where a message of unity and a call for peace will be delivered.
Organizers are encouraging families to bring candles, flowers or signs in the victims’ memory. The call has also been shared across the community to dress in black, “because our town is in mourning.”
Karla Parra is a Mexican-American writer based in San Miguel de Allende. She writes the MND series Hecho en México, authors Coloring Across Lines on Substack and helps organize the annual San Miguel Writers’ Conference. You can find her on Instagram as @karlaexploradora.
