Border flavor. From birria to brisket, the mega gastronomic route that can move the binational GDP needle

The integration of gastronomic circuits between Guadalajara, Tijuana, and San Antonio is not a foodie’s whim: it is a cultural and economic development strategy with the capacity to scale investment, employment, and destination reputation on both sides of the border. Mexico closed 2024 with 45.39 million international tourists, 7.4% more than in 2023, consolidating a strong demand base for specialized tourism products such as culinary tours. The first half of 2025 continued upward, with 8.02 million visitors in June alone, 11.5% more year-on-year according to INEGI. These figures confirm that the moment to articulate binational “food and identity” routes is now.

At the state level, Jalisco reported more than 33.2 million visitors in 2024 and generated over 76.5 billion pesos in revenue. Guadalajara, the state’s urban engine, demonstrated enough traction to anchor an “Occidente Route” connecting markets, traditional kitchens, innovative Tapatío cuisine, and neighborhood experiences. The gastronomic supply is robust: CANIRAC estimates more than 25,000 restaurants in Jalisco, and according to OpenTable trends, dining consumption in the state grew 20% year-on-year with a rising average ticket, clear signs of willingness to pay for premium experiences.

In the United States, San Antonio—UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy—brings global branding power. Its hospitality industry welcomed 37.65 million visitors in 2023 with an economic impact of $21.5 billion, and by 2024 it maintained active programs of culinary ambassadors and interactive guides. The UNESCO designation remains in force despite political ups and downs regarding U.S. membership, and the city has leveraged it to connect heritage sites (the Missions) with contemporary Tex-Mex cuisine. This recognition opens the door to “cross-marketing” packages San Antonio–Guadalajara, combining festivals, chef residencies, and supply chain routes.

Tijuana, meanwhile, is the laboratory of Baja Med cuisine—fusion rooted in regional biodiversity—and a privileged logistical hub. Baja California hosted 16,156 food establishments in 2024; Tijuana’s airport handled 12.55 million passengers that year, with the CBX accelerating cross-border connectivity and reducing friction for weekend culinary escapes. Recent academic literature highlights how the peninsula’s culinary culture ties directly to the natural environment, an ideal narrative for enotourism, sustainable fishing, and zero-kilometer menus.

The technological foundation is also ready. At land ports, tools like CBP One, smart lanes, and facial biometrics are being deployed, enabling better planning for cross-border circuits that link tastings, markets, and experiences in the same day. Incorporating these layers into a binational “Gastro-Pass”—a QR system interoperable for reservations, transfers, museums, and tastings—can boost average stays and per-visitor spending, while also generating valuable data for public policy and marketing.

What did 2024 prove? First, that demand is strong: Mexico climbed to become the sixth most visited country in the world with 45 million tourists; Jalisco broke local records; and Guadalajara enhanced its culinary positioning. Second, connectivity by air and land is fueling short, high-value trips, especially along the Tijuana–San Diego corridor. Third, cultural storytelling matters: UNESCO designations in San Antonio and Tucson—the latter also a City of Gastronomy—provide credibility and an international network for exchanges between chefs, students, and producers. The challenge for 2025 is to turn these assets into integrated, measurable products.

A potential blueprint: “Occidente con Sazón” would connect markets like San Juan de Dios and Santa Tere, birrierías, tequila distilleries, and contemporary Tapatío cuisine with missions, barbecue houses, and Tex-Mex flavors in San Antonio. “Pacifico Fronterizo” would link Tijuana, Valle de Guadalupe, and San Diego with Baja Med experiences, sustainable seafood, and wine tastings. Economically, these circuits increase per-capita spending by packaging premium experiences; politically, they align cultural diplomacy and economic promotion agendas; technologically, they demand interoperability of payments, reservations, and mobility platforms (QR codes, APIs, real-time occupancy data).

The challenges of 2025 will revolve around governance, capacity, and sustainability. It will be necessary to harmonize municipal regulations (land use, capacity limits, terrace permits, hours), coordinate promotion among tourism secretariats, convention offices, and restaurant chambers, and safeguard the visitor experience from seasonality, housing pressure, and border congestion. The key will be to manage flows with intelligence (mobility and reservation data), professionalize small providers, ensure ingredient traceability, and design shared metrics: average stay, bundled ticket value, formal employment, and environmental footprint. If Guadalajara, Tijuana, and San Antonio can think like a single gastronomic region—with pro-data public policy, UNESCO alliances, and efficient border logistics—the border will no longer be a line but a shared table… and a new competitive edge for the binational economy.

Written by: Editorial

#GastronomicTourism

#BorderFlavor

#Guadalajara

#SanAntonio

#Tijuana