Changes Coming To Los Cabos: New Regulations Aim To Enhance Tourist Experience 

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Last Updated 5 months ago

Los Cabos is a luxury vacation destination enjoyed by travelers from all over the world, but it’s not without its share of problems, just like anywhere else.   

Being the tourist destination that it is, it can become overrun with beach vendors trying to sell their wares, massage booths offering their services, and pharmacies marketing their drugs to tourists.   

Some tourists enjoy having access to these things, but access may be more limited in the future, as changes are coming to Los Cabos amid new regulations aimed to enhance the tourist experience.   

Enough Is Enough And Too Much Is Too Much 

All of these services and products that are offered to tourists are not necessarily bad in and of themselves.   

The problem is that in many cases they are not regulated.  Beach vendors and massage booths often operate without permits and pharmacies do not always comply with regulations.   

Those that don’t follow the rules sometimes don’t provide tourists with the best experiences.   

Activities That Take Away From The Tourist Experience  

Buying from street and beach vendors is a timeless tradition in Mexico, but Los Cabos beaches, especially Medano Beach, are known for being inundated with them.   

Whether they’re selling souvenirs, food, or massages the mass number of them often interferes with tourists enjoying what they came for, the beaches.   

By ensuring that all vendors carry permits, authorities can reduce the number and weed out those involved in illegal activities, like selling illegal substances.   

In the case of pharmacies, regulations are even more important because the lack of them puts tourists at risk.   

According to officials, some pharmacies are involved in the unregulated marketing of both prescription medications and other drugs.   

On numerous occasions, pharmacies have been shut down due to the sale of counterfeit drugs, but there is always another pharmacy open when one closes. 

How Authorities Are Addressing The Situation 

To combat both of these issues, naval officials and COFEPRIS (the Federal Commission for the Protection Against Health Risks) are involved.   

They have performed, and will continue to perform, inspections to identify illegal activities and unregulated businesses.   

They ensure that beach vendors carry the required permits and that pharmacies are operating within the law.   

Looking At It From Both Perspectives 

The effect these changes might have on tourists is both positive and negative.   

From a tourist perspective, they’re going to see more authorities present, which can be disconcerting.   

Additionally, some of these things, like beach vendors, are part of the whole Los Cabos experience, so some tourists might miss them when they are not readily available.   

But the positive side of it is that tourists are being kept safe and authorities are preventing vendors from harassing tourists and/or offering illegal items, which greatly improves the overall experience.   

The Tourist Image Pharmacy Problem  

Another problem with the existence of so many pharmacies is that it can result in Los Cabos being seen as a destination where there’s easy access to certain drugs.   

Other cities in the country deal with this problem.   

Los Cabos is a luxury destination, and the image of being a pharmaceutical haven takes away from the real image that Los Cabos strives to maintain.   

The Effect On Tourism  

Despite the problems that have occurred with all of these issues, tourists still flock to Los Cabos by the millions.   

It continues to be viewed as a safe, secure, luxury beach vacation destination.   

This is the result of the endless efforts of authorities and officials to address anything that might destroy that image, which is what these new regulations are all about.