Ensenada, Baja California is the leading cruise destination on Mexico’s Pacific coast, according to the Cruises in Ensenada 2023-2024 report by Ensenada’s Cruise Committee.
The report by the committee of the Baja California Tourism Ministry revealed that the port city is also the third busiest in Mexico for passenger arrivals.
“The cruise industry in Ensenada boosts the local economy and reinforces Baja California’s position as an attractive destination for international tourism,” the state’s Tourism Minister Miguel Aguíñiga Rodríguez said in a statement. “We will continue to focus on strengthening our tourism offering and improving the experiences we offer our visitors.”
Ensenada, located in the northern Baja California peninsula, is one of Mexico’s most popular wine destinations. Mainly known for its vineyards and the culinary scene of Valle de Guadalupe, companies like Royal Caribbean, Quantum of the Seas and Emerald Princess, among others, offer cruises with stops in the Californian port city.
The report revealed that between 2023 and 2024, the city received 272 cruises carrying over 900,000 passengers, of which 73% explored the town with an average stay of five hours.
The greatest percentage of these visitors, at 92%, hailed from the United States, followed by travelers from Canada (4%) and the United Kingdom (2%).
Cruise passengers brought in revenue of US $74.86 million, with an average expenditure of US $63.68 per traveler and US $47.84 per crew member. Seventy-three percent of passengers did some shopping in the city during their visit.
Mexico’s legislators have postponed the application of a new US $42-dollar fee for every cruise ship passenger docking at Mexico’s ports, according to the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA).
The fee, which was proposed to come into effect starting in January, will now not be put into effect until July.
The study also identified various opportunities to diversify activities, enhance the variety of attractions, and improve local transportation services. The local government said these areas would be prioritized by the Ensenada Cruise Committee in 2025, through strategic actions that strengthen the local tourism value chain.
The report follows an announcement by Mexico’s lawmakers made early in December, postponing the application of a new US $42 fee for every cruise ship passenger docking at Mexico’s ports. The fee, originally scheduled to go into effect this month, will now be implemented in July.
It is yet to be seen how the new fee will impact cruise tourism in the country.
Mexico News Daily
