Meagan Drillinger
If there was ever a time for travel advisors to have Jalisco on the radar, it's now. This month, Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro announced a wave of investment (more than $1 billion in private capital) set to transform Jalisco's hotel infrastructure by 2028. With 38 new hotels (12 to open before the 2026 FIFA World Cup) and 4,578 additional rooms planned across Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Costalegre, the state is making a play to cement itself as a tourism hub in Mexico.
Among the largest investments: Hyatt's $295 million toward three new Puerto Vallarta hotels; IHG's $165 million for seven properties; and Hilton's $90 million for four. Luxury players like Chable will also expand into the region, with a $230 million project in Tomatlan, part of Jalisco's still relatively untapped Costalegre coast.
Costalegre, once a hush-hush hideaway for barefoot luxury and low-key celebrities, is now positioned to become Mexico's next big luxury destination, and state leaders are well aware.
"Costalegre has always been exclusive," said Miguel Andres Hernandez Arteaga, undersecretary of tourism for the state of Jalisco in an interview at the 49th edition of the Tianguis Turistico in April. "Now we're working on nautical routes that connect Los Cabos, Punta Perula and Tamarindo to create seamless experiences for private yachts. We already have marinas in Barra de Navidad, La Manzanilla and Careyes."
But it's not just the coast drawing attention.
"We're bringing the other side of Jalisco to travelers," Hernandez Arteaga said. "Yes, people know us for mariachi and tequila, but now we want to highlight raicilla, a spirit that has been made here for more than 20 years. And our 12 Magical Towns each offer something different. There's so much more in Jalisco than the beach."
Infrastructure improvements
The diversification is supported by an infrastructure strategy that's already underway. Guadalajara's international airport has expanded both domestic and international routes. A new airport in Chalacatepec is also in development. It's currently private but projected to open to commercial traffic within a few years, according to Hernandez Arteaga.
Connectivity is improving by land, too. The newly completed highway between Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta is helping forge new multi-destination itineraries.
"With the new highway, we're looking to promote two destinations in one trip," Hernandez Arteaga said. "We have to be smart, because each destination has a different market, a different daily rate and a different travel rhythm."
The numbers back this up. In the first four months of 2025, 11 million visitors arrived in Jalisco, a 1.6% year-over-year increase. The state already ranked second nationally in hotel offerings, contributing 7.4% of Mexico's total GDP, according to the federal Ministry of Tourism.