MEXICO'S SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: THE OTHER SIDE OF MEXICO
One-day seminar on Mexico's Applications of Sustainable Principles in Tourism
On Thursday, June 18th, the Mexico Tourism Board's New York Office, the Rainforest Alliance and the World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism held the first seminar on Mexico's sustainable tourism initiatives in an effort to educate member of the press and industry on the other side of Mexico.
Clara Torres, Deputy Director of the Mexico Tourism Board, started the seminar with The Other Side of Mexico: Hidden Treasures and Opportunities. Torres asked those present to think about their most popular destinations in Mexico, then, she took people's minds away from the many beach destinations Mexico is known by inviting them to view a map of the Mexico.
"Mexico is privileged in that we have an extremely rich past and we have inherited some of the most unique, exotic and adventurous destinations in the world", said Torres, who spoke recently of the importance of Sustainable and cultural tourism in Mexico at the World Bank.
Currently, Mexico has 29 UNESCO declared World Heritage sites, including - 10 cities: Campeche, Guanajuato, Morelia, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro, Tlacotalpan, Zacatecas, Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende; 9 archaeologial sites: Calakmul, Chichen-Itza, Monte Alban, Paquime, Palenque, Tajin, Teotihuacan, Uxmal and Xochicalco; 2 modern architecture sites: Luis Barragan House and Studio, and City Campus of the National University; and 4 natural sites: Sian Ka'an, Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino, Agave Landscape in Tequila and Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. It is also home to 10,000 monuments built between XVI and XIX Centuries, 300,000 archaeological sites, 173 of which are open to the public and 171 protected natural zone.
Torres also spoke of the many initiatives Mexico's government has done to include the other side of Mexico in its tourism promotion and why. In 2002 SECTUR completed a market analysis and found that cultural tourism could be a source of pride for Mexicans. The Mexico Tourism Board also found that in 2008, 118 million American travelers were considered cultural heritage travelers; however, only 6% of Americans visited Mexico searching a cultural experience. Taking into account that 25% of these travelers take up to 3 trips a year and that those who visit Mexico often return multiple times when introduced to its cultural offerings, and Mexico's vast cultural offering, Torres concluded, there is a great opportunity to attract cultural travelers to Mexico. As a direct result of these studies, Mexico has implemented the Pueblos Magicos Program (Magical Towns). Under it, colonial town located within an hour of a major city can receive local and Federal funds to improve facades, roads and update electricity needs. To date there are 32 towns and villages in 24 states benefiting from the program (www.visitmexico.com/wb/Visitmexico/Visi_descubre_pueblos_magicos).
Mexico has also implemented the United Nation's Agenda 21 Programme, which looks at tourism through an environmental and socioeconomic scope, a Clean Beaches Program, which now has 31 committees around the country, and in 2007 SECTUR and PRODEPA (Federal Environmental Protection Agency) launched the Environmental Tourism Quality Certificate, which has been awarded to 28 hotels, 16 federal administrations, one port and one airport for working towards reaching a balance between growth in infrastructures and the preservation of the natural heritage, in order to foster wealth and regional development. A beneficiary of these programs have been Indigenous communities which have developed ecotourism routes, it is estimated that more than 85 indigenous communities have tourism facilities (www.cdi.gob.mx/ecoturismo).
Barbara Harrington, Director World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism / United Nations Foundation, joined Torres, and agreed that tourism done correctly could inspire national pride and attract international tourists who seek to experience the natural and cultural splendor of a country. In her presentation: Promoting and Preserving World Heritage through Sustainable Tourism, she proposed that protecting and enhancing the world's unique cultural and ecological treasures is a shared responsibility. Positive change can be best achieved by: Traveler awareness of destinations and ways they can travel responsibly; The travel industry's commitment to responsible business practices and traveler education; Community enhancement of the character of these special places—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents; Support and involvement from the government to protect destinations.
In Mexico the WHA has been working with its 12 Mexican partners, which include SECTUR and the MTB, to evaluate and improve sustainable business practices and encourages companies to share their commitments with guests and media and provide business development skills (like product development, marketing, technical training and industry introductions) to local communities so that they earn sustainable livelihoods in tourism. Destinations such as Sian Ka'an have greatly benefited from Fairmont Mayakoba's Green Package which has donated funds to build necessary facilities, provided training to communities, hired members of local communities and provided spaces for locals to sell their products (www.worldheritagealliance.org).
The MTB has also been working with the Rainforest Alliance, which provides tourism entrepreneurs and community-based businesses with the tools and training they need to become more environmentally and socially sound. In Moving Towards Sustainability, an Exciting Journey, Tensie Whelan, President of the Rainforest Alliance, spoke of the actions being taken in the Mexican states of Quintana Roo, Campeche, Yucatán, Baja California North and Chiapas where 65 hotels are applying best management sustainable practices.
"We're working to improve the sustainability of tourism operations by encouraging a reduction in their consumption of water, energy and other resources, teaching them to dispose of waste responsibly, helping them take steps to conserve local ecosystems and teaching them to be 'good neighbors' to local residents and the environment," says Whelan. "We're also building business and consumer interest in sustainable tourism by working closely with the Mexican Board of Tourism, enabling tourism and travelers to protect the unique biodiversity and culture of Mexico as well as provide sustainable livelihoods for its people" (www.rainforest-alliance.org/tourism).
In Creating a Successful Sustainable Adventure Travel Company: The Triple Bottom Line, Bruce Poon Tip, Founder and CEO GAP Adventures, the world's largest adventure travel company, shared how his business has profited from using sustainable principles in their tours in Mexico, their fastest growing destination. Catering to those looking to add some authentic experiences to their vacations, GAP offers cultural journeys, wildlife encounters and active adventures in the Mexican states of Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Chiapas, Mexico City, Guanajuato, Guerrero and Jalisco (www.gapadventures.com).
Armando Saldaña from Grupo Tesoros de Puebla also spoke of the economic impact being sustainable may have on a business. In Puebla: the Rescue of a Treasure the owner of WHA member Hoteles con Angel, a member of Tesoros de Mexico, spoke of the boutique hotels, housed in fully restored and refurbished antique residences, are commitment to its community and have launched several projects involving industry service providers. Community members and government workers. One of these projects consisted of cleaning and recycling public spaces, such as highways, the city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hotels have also served as an example for recycling and proper use of resources in the state of Puebla (www.hotelesconangel.com).
Members of the Hotel con Angel are: Mesones Sacristia, El Suno Hotel + Spa, Antigua Alquería de Carrión, Estrella de Belem, La Casona de la China Poblana and La Quinta Luna.
After the presentations guests were invited by Conde Nast Director, John Hillock, to a networking event with the speakers as well as representatives from Maroma Hoteles and Palace Resorts. Almost a hundred people attend the event. Visit: www.visitmexicony.com for complete presentations and more information on sustainability and Mexico.