Despite receiving an average of 10,000 tourists a day, Los Cabos continues to seek more international attention. A key element in this plan is golf, especially with the support of the Professional Golfers Association (PGA).
The PGA has the most important men’s professional tour in the world with more than 30 events on three continents. One of these is the World Wide Technology (WWT) Championship, which has been held in Los Cabos since 2023.
The WWT Championship was established in 2007 and was held for many years in the Riviera Maya (Mayakoba). It moved to Los Cabos in 2023, and the contract stipulates that it will remain there until 2027, but with the commitment to combining it with a project to raise the destination’s visibility.
“The PGA Tour is a flagship for a brand that already has a reputation, which also places us as a destination within that network. The impact this generates, the visibility, and the social work, that is, the collaboration with local organizations and associations, is very important,” Gabriel Cardona, Manager of Special Segments for the Los Cabos Tourism Trust (FITURCA), shared with El Economista.
The last edition of the WWT Championship (2024) was broadcast in more than 220 countries and in more than 20 languages, according to official figures.
However, golf has a long history with this destination, which is reflected today in the presence of 18 professional-sized courses with designs by celebrities such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Davis Love III, and Robert Trent Jr.
Beyond the economic impact and job creation, FITURCA places the importance of the WWT Championship in aligning the destination’s visibility strategy, which is also pursued with other tourism niches such as adventure, romance, and the LGBTQ+ community.
“Golf is one of the pillars of Los Cabos, because Los Cabos was born with golf at its core (…) For us, this tournament is a window to the destination worldwide,” Cardona emphasizes.
“It’s a unique opportunity for people who don’t know us or aren’t as familiar with the destination to start getting to know Los Cabos better. If we add to this the type of tourist who comes to watch the tournament, who stays here, and who plays golf on some of the days, it’s a very interesting and important contribution for us.”
FITURCA shared that the tournament’s estimated economic contribution is $24.9 million per edition and that golf, in particular, contributed 4% of the tourists Los Cabos received in all of 2024.
—What does this mean beyond the figure?
—“Tourists who play golf spend up to 30% more compared to traditional tourists. Approximately 150,000 people visit the destination to play golf, at least one day during their stay. This is a high-value segment that doesn’t just come for golf; they generally consume other types of services such as gastronomy, wellness, excursions, and others that generate a much larger revenue stream for the region.”
This year, 2025, marks the 19th edition of the WWT Championship and the fifth with this Missouri-based brand at the helm of the naming rights.
Its current sponsors include Diamante Cabo San Lucas, the Los Cabos brand, Rolex, Mercedes Benz, Delta, and Maestro Dobel. However, there is no government investment in the tournament, says the FITURCA Special Segments Manager.
“There is an agreement and commitment from FITURCA in marketing for the development of this tournament, because our intention is to continue positioning the destination in this sport, which is one of the pillars of Los Cabos.
“But it’s not a government investment; it’s from the trust, which is a fund raised from a tax paid by tourists when they stay at one of the hotels. A portion of that tax is allocated to FITURCA so it can manage the promotion of the destination.”
Mexico currently hosts two PGA Tour tournaments. The WWT Championship will be held in November with a $6 million purse, but the Mexico Open at Vidanta was held in February with $7 million.
In the women’s division, 2025 marked the return of an LPGA tournament. It was held in Mayakoba, and Los Cabos is open to hosting one in the future.
“There’s no specific plan yet, but why not?” We just hope the circumstances are right so that not only that one, but more tournaments can reach our destination. We would be delighted to host the women’s version,” says Gabriel Cardona.
On the other hand, Los Cabos annually hosts a tennis tournament of similar standing in professional sports: the ATP Tour’s 250-level Open.
Source: eleconomista
