Tourism and Language In Mexico's Los Cabos

Abstract

The growth of tourism in Baja California's cape region, especially in the coastal towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Josi del Cabo (“Los Cabos” in the jargon of the travel industry), has dramatically transformed the region during the 1970s and 1980s. Field surveys of Los Cabos document the tourist-driven transformation or leisurization of the towns' landscapes and suggest that the region is following a predictable pattern based upon its conformance to normative models. While evidence of the transformation is abundant and varied, language patterns as well as commercial and road signs in the region demonstrate particular utility in revealing the evolution of the towns' hybrid cultural landscapes and the cultural changes associated with tourism. The use of English by tourist industry workers and the presence of signs in English serve as clear indicators of the changes occurring in Los Cabos.