We Need to Talk About Tourism. How to Create a Healthy Tourism Industry?

By Carlos Sánchez Rangel

To speak of San Miguel de Allende is to speak of tourism. Since its resurgence in the 1940s, the town has been inextricably linked to the arrival of travelers who fall in love with its narrow streets, colorful houses, and colonial atmosphere.

Yet lately, the local community has been talking about fewer tourists on the streets, hotels that aren't filling up, and empty restaurants. Meanwhile, the municipal administration has announced that San Miguel—in addition to being named “Best city in the world”—has recorded record-breaking figures for visitor numbers and economic impact. How can these two perspectives be reconciled?

Atención News is presenting a series of articles on this topic to capture the broad, complex landscape of tourism in San Miguel. In this first piece, we felt it was important to share the stories, opinions, and experiences of the ordinary people working in tourism-related services. They are the ones who interact with visitors day in and day out and have firsthand knowledge of the ups and downs. Although the interviewees work in diverse sectors—ranging from hospitality and dining to guided tours and artisan shops—they all look back on previous years as the most positive for their businesses. Not 2026.

Opinions vary, however, regarding the causes of the current situation. Bárbara, who has run a restaurant for 16 years, believes San Miguel has simply gone out of style. "People came, experienced it, and that was it," she says. Like Ricardo—a trilingual tour guide who has been working here since 2018—she feels the tourism offering has declined; there was no collaborative effort between the government and local business owners to create a rich, varied destination. "You go to restaurants, and they all have the same menus and the same prices," he states.

Daniel Quezada operated a hotel in the countryside near Otomí between 2016 and 2025. “It was very common for reservations to range from three to four nights. Over the years, the average dropped to two nights, and by 2023–2024, practically all my bookings were for just one night. Colleagues in the industry ‘reassured’ me by saying their figures were similar,” he recounts.

César, who asked that his real name was not used, owns a restaurant, located a few steps from the Main Square, that has been operating for over three decades. He shares the views of Daniel, Bárbara, and Ricardo. Drawn to San Miguel by the idea that one could make a living from tourism—he indeed could, at least until a couple of years ago. He admits that since 2020, the idea of ​​closing his business has “definitely” crossed his mind more than once. When asked for his opinion on the official figures, his response—like that of Ricardo and Daniel—is that he would like to know how those metrics were obtained.

Esmeralda is somewhat more skeptical and laughs at the claim that the town has never seen so many tourists. She has worked in handicraft shops near the Parroquia since 1997. “A few years ago, I was able to pay for my daughters’ university education by making a living from tourism; today, that wouldn’t be possible, and I’m considering closing my business,” she says. For Elisa Torres, a bilingual guide, tourism in San Miguel is not something to be disparaged. “It lifted the town out of an agricultural economy and gave many people better opportunities in life,” she asserts. However, she also acknowledges that despite the town's strengths—such as being the world's number-one wedding destination—certain local policies (like banning Indigenous vendors from the Main Square) and attempts to mimic "First World" destinations undermine what matters most: the essence of the true San Miguel de Allende—the town that won so many hearts without the need of luxury hotels and rooftop bars.

According to Karla, the entrepreneur behind Café Lavanda, that very respect for authenticity holds the key to San Miguel nurturing a healthier relationship with tourism. It is an industry the town cannot simply walk away from; after all, this is not an industrial, manufacturing, or agricultural hub. Furthermore, the real estate sector will only thrive alongside healthy tourism—tourism that embraces all communities rather than fostering division, and that encourages the kind of enriching interaction between people and cultures who might otherwise never cross paths—a dynamic that was, for a long time, a defining characteristic of this town.

In the next article, we will explore, first-handedly, the local policies and programs the municipal government is driving to cultivate tourism development.

IG: @EquilibrioDeApetitos