The Baja California Sur state in Mexico has announced it will be increasing its visitor tax in 2026, only six months after its introduction. International travellers who stay in the state for over 24 hours will now have to pay $488 MXN (€23.72).
Located on the Baja California peninsula in Mexico, the Baja California Sur state has long been a tourist favourite, known for its luxurious resorts in Los Cabos, its stunning beaches by the Sea of Cortez, and its overall natural beauty.
In July 2025, the state’s government announced it would be introducing a visitor tax, known as the ‘Embrace It’ levy, payable by all those staying for over 24 hours – except Mexican citizens and children under 12. Tourists were asked to pay through the official platform and to present proof of payment (by means of a QR code) at the entry and exit points of the Baja California Sur state.
When it was introduced, the tax amounted to $470 MXN (€22.91), money aimed at preserving the natural environment, aiding the local community, and improving local tourism infrastructure. Funds were distributed over different sustainable projects, including some protecting the coral reefs and others developing eco-tourism education. As of 1 January 2026, just six months after its introduction, the levy has been raised to $488 MXN (€23.72).
“We are very satisfied with the acceptance that Embrace It has had among international visitors. The aggregate data confirm an orderly pattern, with payments made in advance, greater activity on weekdays, and stays with well-defined patterns. This reinforces the responsible tourism approach promoted by Baja California Sur”, said Hugo Chapoy Córdova, Director of Revenue at Tourist Tax México, according to the Mexican Press Agency.
@discovery 🎥 + 💭: @Matthew Kaplan Dive into the heart of the Sea of Cortez to experience the iconic mobula ray aggregation where rays gather in groups by the thousands. Each year in late Spring mobula rays gather in Baja California Sur, Mexico as part of one of the largest migrations on Earth. They come to feed in Baja’s nutrient rich waters, mate, raise their young, and play! #MarineMonday #Baja #MobulaRay ♬ Living In A Haze (Instrumental) – Milky Chance
Tourist taxes in Mexico
While many popular tourist destinations around the world have been introducing visitor levies and tourist taxes over the past few years, Mexico has only just recently started to adopt the practice.
While the country’s federal government had originally planned to start charging cruise passengers a tax of $42 (€35.19) per port docking as of 2025, a hefty reaction from the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and Mexican Association of Naval Agents (AMANAC) caused them to cancel that decision. The amount was eventually brought down significantly to just $5 (€4.19). The tax applies since July 2025 and will increase annually until it reaches $21 (€17.59) by August 2028.
