State transportation inspectors blocked pre-arranged private vehicles from entering the Riu Santa Fe Hotel in Los Cabos this week, forcing spring breakers to find rides outside the property during one of the destination’s busiest tourist periods.
Robbin Hernández, president of the Association of Professionals and Business Leaders of Los Cabos, said the vehicles already had confirmed service contracts with guests at the resort. The blockade left tourists scrambling for alternative transportation on the street.
Hernández called the incident a failure of coordination between state regulators and the business community. “It’s unacceptable that we lack coordination after all the meetings we’ve held and that we’re still having these problems,” he said. “If the staff isn’t trained or prepared, then they need to be replaced or something needs to be done. “
He said poorly trained inspectors are damaging Los Cabos’s reputation at the worst possible moment. The Los Cabos Hotel Association projects 81% hotel occupancy in March. An estimated 50,000 spring breakers are expected to visit, generating more than $50 million in economic activity.
Hernández acknowledged that business leaders and state authorities have met previously to address transport enforcement issues. Those meetings have not resolved the problem. “This isn’t Los Cabos,” he said, referring to tourists hailing rides from the street outside the hotel entrance.
The Baja California Sur state government has not issued any statement on the incident. No timeline for a response or policy review has been announced.
If you are traveling in Los Cabos this spring break, confirm your transportation arrangements directly with your hotel before you arrive. Ask whether your provider has verified operating permits for hotel pickup. That step may save you a disrupted trip.