Growing Cruise Operations through Continued Efforts with Mexico

The Port of San Diego’s cruise business is an essential component of the San Diego tourism industry. The Chamber has worked with Mexican Government officials to prioritize security in tourist locations in an effort to continue to bolster the industry in San Diego.

The Port of San Diego’s cruise business is an essential component of the San Diego tourism industry. The Port serves as California’s third busiest cruise port (Long Beach and Los Angeles are first and second, respectively), and serves as part of the cross-border itinerary known as the “Mexican Riviera” or “Pacific Route,” (which includes the four West Coast Mexican Ports: Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta). The Mexican Government has excelled in prioritizing security in tourist locations, resulting in lower crime rates and increased traveler confidence.

Through its advocacy efforts, the Chamber has:

  • Continued these security efforts in order to return cruise vessel calls and traveler confidence to pre-recession levels.
  • Continued efforts to refresh port calls on the Mexican Riviera cruise itinerary; and to work unilaterally with cruise lines and operators to offer multi-generational and multi-regional attractions to cruise customers.
  • Supported proposal to collaboratively create a performance assessment of the Mexican Riviera ports to include: security, marketed activities, and a customer satisfaction tracker.
  • Jointly marketed the findings to Cruise Line International Association to increase global attention to a refreshed “Mexican Riviera /Pacific Route” itinerary.
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