The Mexican state of Jalisco is perhaps best known for its two most popular tourism destinations: the resort-filled coastal paradise of Puerto Vallarta, and Guadalajara, the state’s bustling capital.
Although the destination has long been luring tourists to western Mexico, there will be even more reason to travel to Jalisco in 2022, according to Rocio Lancaster, tourism undersecretary for the state of Jalisco.
We sat down with Lancaster to learn about the destination’s latest developments.
Airport Upgrades in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara
Both Guadalajara International Airport and Puerto Vallarta International Airport have experienced increased traffic as a part of a post-pandemic tourism boom, with this year’s figures set to close above 2019 levels, according to Lancaster.
Now, the facilities are poised for continued growth, thanks to upcoming enhancements.
Guadalajara is set to expand its facilities by doubling its passenger capacity (which currently sits at about 15 million passengers) and increasing flights by about 60%. Other enhancements include a redesign of public areas, including the addition of an illuminated rotunda.
At Puerto Vallarta's airport, a new floor will be added to the existing terminal with new check-in, waiting and boarding facilities.
The airports will also come out of the project with a net-zero certification.
Because Puerto Vallarta’s airport is used mainly to traffic tourists and locals living in nearby Nayarit, Lancaster predicts that Guadalajara’s upgrades will position it as one of the biggest movers in the country after Mexico City.
“Guadalajara serves not only people who live in the area, but all the people who live in the neighbor states,” she said, noting that 23 million people live within a three-hour radius of the city.
So while the Guadalajara metropolitan area has about 6 million inhabitants, the airport will serve nearly four times that many people. Combined with Puerto Vallarta’s numbers, that makes Jalisco second in Mexican states moving the most air passengers.
Guadalajara International Airport is getting an upgrade.
Credit: 2022 eskystudio/stock.adobe.comHotel Developments in Costalegre
One of the most notable developments in Jalisco will be Xala, set to open in 2023 in Costalegre, an approximately 150-mile-long area of beaches and bays along Jalisco’s Western coastline (about a two-hour drive from the Puerto Vallarta airport and an hour from Manzanillo International Airport).
The project, which is backed by actor Richard Gere and in its ninth year of construction, will include high-end residences, three boutique hotel brands, a hostel and several environmentally focused conservation efforts for the area.
“The whole region of Costalegre is about creating projects that are sustainable to the region,” Lancaster said. “We have a lot of areas that are protected by the Ministry of the Environment, so there are rules and regulations to take care of this area. We are not wanting to become a resort-style location; we are a more sustainable, mindful operation in general.”
We are not wanting to become a resort-style location; we are a more sustainable, mindful operation in general.
Late this year, the 157-room Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo is set to open in the Costalegre region, with about one-third of the boutique-style hotel designated as adults-only. Local Mexican architects developed the property’s nature-inspired design, which is meant to blend into the surrounding environment.
Another upcoming property for 2023 will be the women-designed Elle Hotel, which will feature art, decor and craftsmanship from local female designers and artisans; and the astrology-inspired Mayto Playa Pacifico, which is set to open in December 2024. Mayto will also feature the first astrological park in the world, and 12 “temples” (one for each zodiac sign), each featuring a hotel, villas, a beach club, gastronomic experiences and a spa.
New Attractions, Restaurants and Tours
Additional Jalisco attractions include new museums — the reimagined Museum of Opal and Minerals of Mexico in Puerto Vallarta, and El Codigo Viral, a selfie museum in Guadalajara — and a slew of new restaurants. In Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone, Noroc serves gourmet fusion dishes, Los Toneles Vallarta offers upscale Mexican cuisine, and Mezcal & Sal slings vegetarian and vegan fare.
Clients seeking organized tours will have new options with Vallarta Adventures, including Alma, a new Rhythms of the Night experience, which includes a boat ride and a Cirque du Soleil-inspired performance at an open-air theater.
Updated Highway Infrastructure
For clients interested in visiting both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta in one trip, the new Guadalajara-Puerto Vallarta-Tepic federal highway will soon connect the regions through the state of Nayarit and will shorten driving time by at least 90 minutes, for a total drive time of three hours (the exact opening date is unknown).
If travelers want to meander between the regions a bit more leisurely, a state highway goes through Jalisco’s mountains and the three Pueblos Magicos of Talpa de Allende, Mascota and San Sebastian del Oeste.
New Consumer Education Platform
For travel advisors and clients looking to learn more about Jalisco as a destination, the Ministry of Tourism is working on a consumer education platform called “Explore” that will include an events calendar for cultural activities and festivals, sample itineraries and filters that allow travelers to plan their trips and be connected to preferred suppliers in the destination.
