Luis Palacios Larranaga, Director General - Baja California Sur State Tourism Board; Jacqueline Elie, Regional Sales Manager - Western Canada, Scenic Tours; Yehudi Altman, Director of Product, WestJet Vacations & Mexico Tourism Board's Director for Western Canada Cesar Mendoza
Angel Villalobos, Consul General of Mexico; Sonia Florencio & Sergio Florencio, Consul General of Brazil
Myrna Bubica, GM, Mexi-Can Holidays; James Howey, Regional General Manager, Passenger Sales - British Columbia,
Air Canada & Cesar Mendoza, Director - Western Canada, Mexico Tourism Board
The exhibit celebrating the Grey Whale migration
Tourism officials from Baja California Sur (BCS) were in YVR recently to promote one of its biggest (literally) natural attractions. “Travesia – Journey of the Grey Whale,” is the featured exhibit at the Telus World of Science until 01APR. It delves into the science, history and art of these magnificent mammals.
Jointly hosting the event were the Vancouver-based Consulate General of Mexico, Mexico Tourism Board and BCS State Tourism Board. Guests, including diplomats, travel agents and airline representatives were as enthusiastic as kids as they moved from one display to another, learning about this amazing creature.
Travelling between the Arctic and the Baja Peninsula, Grey Whales cover a distance of about 9,000 km. While wintering in the Baha regions, they are found in protected lagoons and nature preserves, especially in Ojo de Liebre and San Ignacio. These sanctuaries are part of the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, a world heritage site and home to diverse plants and animals.
Luis Palacios Larranaga, Director General of the Baja California Sur State Tourism Board, hopes people who visit the exhibition may be inspired to visit the region. “There are tours that bring visitors close enough to actually touch a Grey Whale,” he said. Last year, BCS received 200,000 Canadian visitors helped in part by direct flights from WS, AC and Sunwing.
Bookings to the region have definitely increased said Yehudi Altman, Director of Product, WestJet Vacations. “For this winter season, WestJet offers 12 flights weekly and there are flights all year round.” As for the type of people who vacation there, Altman observes that there are 2 groups – one goes to Los Cabos mainly for the sun, while the other heads to La Paz for activities like whale watching.
“Baja is a place you get addicted to,” raved Angel Villalobos, Mexico Consul General. “It’s a good addiction.”
