SAN DIEGO — Tourism officials with the state of Baja California are expecting 30 million tourists to visit the state this year.

During the first half of 2023, visitors have brought in $60 million in revenue, said Baja California Tourism Secretary Miguel Aguiñiga,

“We’re approaching 2022 levels and we are way above 2019, something that is extremely positive,” said Aguiñiga. “Since the end of the pandemic and in 2023, when everything opened in its totality, we have been looking for ways to bring in even more tourists.”

The tourism secretary was asked by reporters if beach contamination in Northern Baja along some parts of the coastline is affecting the number of visitors.

He denied it’s having a negative impact.

“It hasn’t affected the arrival of visitors because that is not the principal draw for tourism in our state, our segment of the market comes here for many things independent of the beaches, they visit for the food and for places like the Guadalupe Valley.”

Aguiñiga said people come to Baja for adventure primarily found in the Gulf of California, in places such as San Felipe, Bahía de Los Ángeles and San Luis Gonzaga in the southern part of the state.

According to Aguiñiga, medical tourism is also a big contributor saying that last year more than four million people visited Baja California for medical and dental care or cosmetic procedures.

“We saw a 15 percent rise in this area and there are likely many more visitors that we don’t know about who don’t register at the border when crossing, this all benefits the state,” Aguiñiga said