NAYARIT, Mexico — Sept. 9, 2026 — Nayarit is strengthening its position at the forefront of sports tourism in Mexico, bringing a strategy that combines international professional sports partnerships, major sporting events, investment in local sports and the state’s natural assets to the 4th World Sports Tourism Congress.
For Nayarit, participation in the congress comes as the state increasingly looks at sports not simply as events, but as a tourism development and destination-marketing platform capable of introducing Mexico’s Pacific coast to travelers through shared passions.
From the Stadium to the Destination
One of the most visible components of Nayarit’s strategy has been its partnerships with three of North America’s best-known professional sports organizations: the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Cowboys and Vancouver Canucks.
Through these relationships, Nayarit has been able to place the destination in front of sports audiences in California, Texas and Western Canada — key tourism markets for Mexico — while leveraging fans’ connections with their teams to build awareness and inspire travel to the state. This sustained market presence has coincided with a significant expansion in international air connectivity to the Tepic-Riviera Nayarit International Airport (TPQ), with direct service confirmed by WestJet from Calgary, Volaris from Los Angeles and United Airlines from Houston, creating a direct pathway from priority markets where Nayarit has actively invested in sports partnerships and destination promotion.
The strategy goes beyond traditional sponsorship.
In May 2026, Nayarit welcomed representatives of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to the destination as part of its continuing relationship with the NFL franchise. The visit included experiences throughout Riviera Nayarit and an event at Mandarina highlighting the partnership and Nayarit’s tourism offering.
Importantly, the visit was also used as an opportunity to turn sports marketing into destination storytelling. A select group of Dallas-Fort Worth media traveled alongside the program to experience Nayarit’s luxury hospitality, gastronomy, culture and outdoor experiences firsthand, providing another avenue to introduce the destination to potential travelers in Texas.
The initiative demonstrated how Nayarit is taking its professional sports partnerships beyond stadium branding: bringing representatives of the teams to the destination, creating experiences around those relationships and using the resulting visibility to encourage fans to consider Nayarit for their own vacations.
Similar destination activations with the Lakers and Canucks have helped extend Nayarit’s presence into the Los Angeles and Vancouver markets, connecting professional basketball and hockey audiences with a Mexican destination where sports, outdoor recreation and travel increasingly intersect.
Building Sports Tourism at Home
Nayarit’s sports strategy is also being developed from within the state.
Professional baseball returned to the forefront of the local sports scene with the arrival of the Jaguares de Nayarit, which began competing in the Mexican Pacific League during the 2025-26 season.
Based in the state capital of Tepic, the Jaguares play at the new Coloso del Pacífico, a modern baseball stadium developed not only as a home for professional sports but also as infrastructure capable of supporting entertainment, tourism and economic activity in the state capital.
The team’s inaugural season demonstrated the potential of professional sports to generate local and regional travel, attracting more than 200,000 spectators over the course of the season and giving visitors another reason to experience Tepic during Mexico’s winter baseball calendar.
The development is particularly significant for Nayarit’s tourism strategy because it expands the sports conversation beyond the coastal resort areas. A visitor attending a baseball game in Tepic can combine the experience with the city’s gastronomy and culture and continue toward nearby destinations such as Santa María del Oro, Jala, Ixtlán del Río, Compostela, San Blas and Riviera Nayarit.
Together, the Jaguares and Nayarit’s partnerships with major North American teams illustrate the state’s two-sided approach: using globally recognized sports brands to attract attention abroad while investing in sporting infrastructure and experiences that give travelers something to discover once they arrive.
A Natural Playground for Sports Tourism
Beyond professional sports, Nayarit’s geography has become one of its strongest competitive advantages.
With more than 200 miles of Pacific coastline, the Sierra Madre mountains, tropical landscapes and year-round outdoor conditions, the state provides a natural setting for sports ranging from surfing and sailing to cycling, running, golf, paragliding and triathlon.
International and national competitions have increasingly become part of the tourism calendar, including the Gran Fondo Riviera Nayarit, triathlon and endurance competitions and golf tournaments, complemented by locally developed events involving sailing, surfing, paragliding, marathons and other outdoor disciplines.
These events can produce benefits well beyond race or tournament day. Athletes frequently travel with partners, families, coaches and supporters, while competitions create opportunities for pre- and post-event stays — turning a sporting commitment into a broader vacation.
Surfing Takes Center Stage
Perhaps no sport reflects the relationship between Nayarit’s lifestyle and tourism more naturally than surfing.
Surf culture has long been part of everyday life along the coast, particularly in communities such as Sayulita, San Pancho and Punta de Mita. That position will receive additional international visibility in November, when Sayulita is recognized as Mexico’s first Surf City.
The distinction adds another dimension to Nayarit’s growing sports-tourism portfolio, connecting surf culture with community development, coastal conservation, outdoor recreation and international tourism.
Sports as a Gateway to Nayarit
Taken together, these initiatives demonstrate a strategy that reaches far beyond hosting individual sporting events.
Nayarit is building connections with sports fans before they travel through partnerships with organizations such as the Lakers, Cowboys and Canucks; developing its own professional sports identity through the Jaguares de Nayarit; hosting competitions that bring athletes and spectators into the state; and leveraging its natural environment to provide year-round opportunities for active travel.
A visitor might first discover Nayarit through a Cowboys game in Texas, a Lakers activation in Los Angeles or a Canucks event in Vancouver. Another might arrive in Tepic to watch the Jaguares, travel for a cycling competition or golf tournament, or come to the Pacific coast specifically to surf.
Once there, sports become the starting point rather than the entire trip — opening the door to Nayarit’s gastronomy, Indigenous and community traditions, luxury hospitality, Pueblos Mágicos, nature and more than 200 miles of Pacific coastline.
Through its participation in the 4th World Sports Tourism Congress, Nayarit is bringing those elements together as part of a broader vision: positioning sports as a gateway to discovering one of Mexico’s most diverse destinations.
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About Nayarit
Located on Mexico’s Pacific coast, Nayarit brings together more than 200 miles of coastline with mountains, volcanoes, islands, historic communities and nine Pueblos Mágicos. Beyond the beaches of Riviera Nayarit, visitors can discover Indigenous cultures, community-based tourism, gastronomy, surfing, birding, adventure, wellness, artisans and agricultural traditions that connect travelers with the people and landscapes of the state.
About ENroute Communications
ENroute Communications is an award-winning travel and tourism communications agency specializing in public relations, destination marketing, travel trade representation and strategic partnerships throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America. ENroute represents destinations, hotels and tourism organizations through integrated campaigns connecting clients with leading media, travel advisors, tour operators and industry partners while developing stories and experiences designed to inspire travel.
Media Contact:
Gustavo Rivas
ENroute Communications
gustavo@enroutecommunications.com
