PHOTO: © LOS CABOS TOURISM BOARD

THE BASICS
Name: Rodrigo Esponda
Title: Managing director
Company, city: Los Cabos Tourism Board; Los Cabos, Mexico

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
My father was an architect, and I wanted to be an architect like him. I did study architecture and worked in the field before my career pivot.

Fun fact about yourself: I love scuba diving with sharks and learning about them in their natural habitat.

If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?
I just returned from my first trip to the Socorro Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a group of islands about 250 miles off the coast of Cabo San Lucas. You remain on the boat for the whole trip and scuba dive all day. I’d go back any time!

A LITTLE BIT MORE
What two nonessential items would you want if you were on a deserted island?
I love to paint watercolors, so I’d take my paint and paper and my Kindle to read.

What person or experience most influenced your choice of career?
My father died when I was young, and I always looked to him as my inspiration. On his desk, he had a sign of “10 Rules for Life,” which was like his personal motto. I still have it and I still read it.

What is your favorite song, and/or who is your favorite musician/band?
Nirvana, and specifically the song “Nevermind” resonated with me when I was younger.

If you had a time machine, would you travel to the future or back to the past? Why?
I’d go to the future. The past is in the past, and people spend too much time living in the past. I want to move forward.

THE BUSINESS
How would you describe your leadership style?
I like to develop people without micromanaging. If you give people the strategy and guidance, they can grow, and I love seeing people succeed. I encourage innovation and thinking outside the box.

What predictions do you have for the travel industry over the next year?
Travel has been growing, and I think that will continue as travelers look for experiences that add value to and enrich their lives.

What is your or your team’s proudest professional achievement?
The integration we’ve accomplished in Los Cabos between the private and public sector. This close partnership is unique in Mexico and allows us to work together to protect and promote Los Cabos on an international stage. It propelled our growth and allowed us to position Los Cabos across new international markets. I’m proud of the way we’ve united the industry to overcome challenges.

What project are you currently working on?
We recently launched our new digital ecosystem, and it’s truly a gamechanger for the industry. It incorporates the most cutting-edge technology. I started with this idea more than six years ago when I got to Los Cabos. At the beginning, people said no one would participate in an initiative like this that required active participation of all our partners. We launched the system in January 2025 with the participation of more than 1,200 local companies, from taco stands and hotels to tour operators, who actively update their information and contribute to the digital ecosystem. It’s really a digitization of the destination.

AS A TRAVELER
What’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned about customer service? 
Unfortunately, there is still a lot to learn about customer service. In the whole chain of a process, there are people who don’t understand that even little tokens make a big difference. I think technology and customer service need to better meld moving forward.

What’s the first vacation you can remember taking?
A beach vacation to the Pacific Ocean with my mom and sisters when I was little — we used the wrong sunscreen and all got sunburned. I remember using tomatoes to help the burn.

What are your travel pet peeves?
People are not fully aware of the time and space of others; for example, taking a long time to get situated on a plane and blocking the aisle for other passengers without even trying to speed up.

Share your favorite travel experience: My recent trip to the Soccoro Islands was an incredible experience. I went diving four times per day and experienced the amazing biodiversity of the water.