The Baja California Sur state congress approved reforms to its tourism law on May 30, creating two new official categories: community tourism and regenerative tourism. Morena deputy Cristina Contreras Rebollo introduced the legislation, which amends the existing state tourism framework to formally recognize both models.
The reforms distinguish community tourism from rural tourism for the first time under BCS law. Community tourism is now defined as a collectively managed activity run by organized communities, indigenous peoples, or agrarian groups. These groups must participate directly in planning, operations, and profit-sharing under the new definition.
What the New Categories Mean
Regenerative tourism, the second new category, goes beyond minimizing environmental damage. The law defines it as tourism that actively restores ecosystems, revitalizes local communities, and promotes sustainable practices. The distinction separates it from the broader concept of sustainable tourism, which focuses mainly on reducing harm.
The legislation includes institutional support mechanisms for both categories. Training programs, technical assistance, certification processes, and marketing support are now written into the law. These tools are designed to help small, community-run tourism operations formalize their businesses and reach wider audiences.
Part of a Broader Environmental Push in BCS
The vote comes from a 21-member unicameral congress in La Paz where Morena holds 12 seats. The body has increasingly turned toward environmental legislation in recent sessions. In December 2024, the same congress approved a state Climate Change Law addressing emission mitigation and coastal erosion, two issues that directly affect the peninsula’s tourism economy.
BCS has also moved to fund conservation through tourism revenue. The state’s “Embrace It” program charges international visitors 488 pesos (roughly $25 USD) to support environmental protection, tourism infrastructure, and community development across the peninsula.
The new tourism categories could open the door for organized ejido cooperatives, fishing communities, and indigenous groups in the Sierra de la Laguna and remote coastal areas to develop formally recognized tourism offerings. Currently, many community-based tourism operations in BCS function informally, without access to state marketing channels or certification.
The reforms were first reported by BCS Noticias.