Luis Araiza in the world of Tourism, Economy and Sustainability
Luis Humberto Araiza Lopez has been a public servant for more than 26 years. His current position as the secretary of Tourism, Economy and Sustainability (SETUES) allows him to develop the public policies that have helped position Baja California Sur as one of the highest-rated destinations in Mexico, according to Mitofsky polls. This achievement was a joint effort between the government and the business sector and has helped forge an alliance not many can achieve.
For Luis Araiza, the development of Baja California Sur is intimately linked to tourism, sustainability, and economic issues. To him, the three topics are on the same page and should be approached that way. Without one, the others do not succeed.
That said, sustainability plays an important role because it is intrinsically linked to natural beauty, and that is the main attraction for national and international tourists.
When we spoke about tourism trends for 2021, the secretary of Tourism, Economy and Sustainability stated that “we are learning more about the new reality every day and what’s most interesting is that we are looking at tourism from an integral, inclusive perspective and favoring the environment. I believe that now more than ever, the issue of sustainability becomes a primary factor when planning public policies on tourism. As a result, we must be conscious of how to benefit communities through tourism by generating wealth in a more balanced way for all sectors of the population.”
A main objective during his administration was to link the private sector with the boom in tourism through local products. This means that more than 400 local producers have benefited by selling to important hotel brands.
The secretary’s comments reinforce the country’s commitment and invite us to forge alliances that will support the proper reactivation of the State’s economic growth. For that reason, Luis Araiza reaffirms the importance of safety protocols such as Punto Limpio and H Certifications. His message reads like this: “We are one of the few states with more than one certification related to hygiene. It is essential to send trustworthy signals so tourists can see our commitment.”
The most influential people in his life are his parents who shaped his path and helped make him the person he is today. For Secretary Araiza, inspiration comes from helping others and being in touch with nature. His favorite phrase is “United, we can all survive.” This saying reminds us of his biggest challenge: achieving a successful friendship between the State and the business sector and consistently nurturing that relationship.
Being the voice that represents the government in terms of Tourism, Economy, and Sustainability and also serving as president of ASETUR (Association of Secretary of Tourism in Mexico) in 2019 and 2020 has been especially challenging due to the global pandemic. However, Luis Araiza bids a fond farewell to the interaction he created with the rest of the country’s tourism secretaries and turns his focus to his management duties over the next few months.
