UABCS Los Cabos brought together students, academics, and tourism industry representatives for a day of discussions connecting artificial intelligence, sustainable planning, and the value of hospitality.
Los Cabos, Baja California Sur.— How can artificial intelligence enhance hospitality while preserving the personal connection that makes it special? How can tourism grow while protecting the region and improving residents’ quality of life? These questions guided the World Tourism Day 2026 commemorative program at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur (UABCS), Los Cabos Academic Extension, Centro campus.
Tendencia attended this gathering of the university community and public- and private-sector representatives, which focused on digital technologies and artificial intelligence as tools for reshaping tourism. Although weather conditions required schedule adjustments, the program remained focused on its purpose: bringing different perspectives together and connecting professional education with the destination’s challenges.
In his welcome remarks, Juan de Jesús Pérez Agúndez, director of the Los Cabos Academic Extension, emphasized the importance of building partnerships that put knowledge to work for society. From the university’s perspective, the destination’s development calls for inclusive urban planning, environmental protection, community participation, and opportunities that improve families’ well-being.
The International Bird Festival was highlighted as an example of collaboration among academia, private businesses, and the public sector, as well as an opportunity to connect an understanding of biodiversity with new tourism experiences.
Lilzi Orcí Fregoso, executive president of the Los Cabos Hotel Association, reminded the audience that tourism is about people, opportunities, identity, and the future. Addressing the students, she emphasized that service quality and the warmth of the local community are essential strengths of the destination, built through the efforts of successive generations.
Her message also encouraged them to take responsibility for protecting natural resources and for contributing to tourism that is more people-centered, sustainable, and inclusive.
Students played a central role in presenting findings from the fourth academic forum. Under the coordination of José Martín Olmos Ceseña and with faculty support, third- and seventh-semester Tourism Services Management students participated in discussion groups that brought together different stages of their education.
Their discussions addressed four questions: whether artificial intelligence makes the tourism experience easier or more impersonal; how social media contributes to the transformation and overcrowding of destinations; how technology can support sustainability in Los Cabos; and how automation will change tourism jobs.
Their conclusions recognized the potential of these tools to organize itineraries, streamline reservations, manage information, and support operational tasks. They also emphasized the importance of preserving human interaction, particularly in handling complaints, unexpected situations, and needs that require empathy.
On sustainability, students proposed keeping digital visitor information up to date, introducing interactive maps, and using technology to detect water leaks, monitor resource consumption, and improve waste management. They also suggested that social media can help bring visibility to other communities and experiences, provided that planning accounts for local environmental and social conditions.
Regarding employment, they highlighted the need for training and human oversight to use artificial intelligence responsibly. The exercise included a meaningful detail: the discussions took place without cell phones or AI tools, prioritizing the students’ own dialogue and analysis.
Francisco Isaías Ruiz Ceseña’s presentation, “Planning for the Long Term,” shifted the conversation toward Baja California Sur’s long-term development. Drawing on his research in oases and rural communities, he emphasized that proposals must be developed alongside the people who live in those places.
His presentation addressed water, energy, and infrastructure, as well as the need to diversify opportunities. He also emphasized the importance of recognizing local knowledge and preserving traditional craft practices that are part of Baja California Sur’s heritage. Improving living conditions, he explained, must go hand in hand with respect for each community’s identity.
Mike Casas, who introduced himself as the director of Hotel El Ganzo, offered an industry perspective in his talk, “Before the Doors Open: What No One Tells You About Building a Career in Hospitality.”
By asking students where they see themselves in ten years, he opened a conversation about entrepreneurship, education, and personal aspirations. His message emphasized the value of practical experience, curiosity, English proficiency, financial understanding, and the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds.
“The visible experience depends on an invisible system,” he said, describing the processes and decisions that support guest service. In his view, experiential luxury comes from understanding visitors, paying attention to details, and creating memories connected to the people who cared for them.
In “An Intangible Difference,” Mauro Alejandro Monroy Ceseña explored service quality and customer satisfaction. He emphasized that understanding customer expectations, training staff, and evaluating results make it possible to continually improve the experience.
His remarks also addressed the people who make service possible: employees need care, recognition, and committed leadership. He explained that quality must begin with management and extend throughout the organization.
The program also featured the signing of a collaboration agreement between UABCS and the Asociación Sudcaliforniana de Desarrolladores de Tiempo Compartido (ASUDESTICO), Baja California Sur’s timeshare developers association. Juan de Jesús Pérez Agúndez and Francisco Javier Olivares Velázquez attended the signing. Copies of a book documenting four decades of timeshare history in Los Cabos were also donated to the university library.
Through student proposals, professional insights, and commitments to collaboration, the gathering conveyed a shared message: transforming tourism requires preparation and thoughtful decisions. In UABCS classrooms, that conversation is already taking shape among young people who are beginning to imagine how they can contribute to Los Cabos’s future.
