Sustainable Tourism & Mexico
When most of us hear about sustainable tourism, ecotourism is
usually the first thought that comes to mind. So what exactly is
sustainable tourism and what is ecotourism? Are they the same? Do
they refer to consumers (a market) or to hotels and destinations
(products)?
Hector Ceballos-Lacurrain, a Mexican architect, coined the word
ecotourism and its preliminary definition in 1983, to be later
adjusted and officially adopted by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Since then, several ecotourism sites
have been developed around the world. According to The International
Ecotourism Society, ecotourism is "Responsible travel to natural
areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of
local people (1990).”
For example, in Mexico you can enjoy “ecotourism” by participating
in activities that range from white water kayaking in Veracruz, to
bird watching tours through the Sian K’aan Biosphere Reserve, or
hiking through the Sonora desert. But, you can also participate in
ecotourism when traveling abroad, by reusing hotel towels, and not
requesting new linen sheets every day. In short, ecotourism can
refer to both, a tourism product and a market.
However ecotourism is only one form of sustainable tourism, there
are many more facets that define this very broad spectrum.
So how did all of this get started?
Environmental issues became the main focus on government agendas
after the Rio de Janeiro Summit in the early 90’s, after that
several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in protected
natural areas such as the Mayan Biosphere Reserve or the
Mesoamerican Reef Corridor, identified tourism as a way to obtain
revenue to protect these natural areas, while at the same time give
an added income to communities. Particularly, communities living
inside or around the natural areas whose living depended on
extractive activities such as logging, or burn and slash
agriculture. These NGOs began developing eco-lodges and eco-tours
targeting consumers interested in “nature based experiences” also
known as ecotourists. The results were mixed, with both successful
and failed experiences. Even though the hotels and destinations were
situated around natural protected areas, there was no critical mass
in the consumer to make these projects financially sustainable.
It was in early 2000 during the Johannesburg Summit that the
governments moved from the environmental only approach, to a more
integral concept of sustainability. In Johannesburg the emphasis was
human development, in particular, poor people and how they relate to
the environment and the economy. This, along with the Millennium
Development Goals set clear targets for 2015. Many in the travel and
tourism industry, including the UNWTO, launched actions to tackle
the three main columns of sustainability: the environment, social
issues, and the financial aspects of any activity. Many new projects
emerged and consolidated; in Mexico for example, the National
Institute of Archaeology and History (INAH) was giving concessions
for the first time ever, to local Mayan communities to manage and
receive a portion of the fees tourists paid to access the
archaeological sites. One example is Chac Choben in the south of
Quintana Roo. New hotel concepts emerged such as Hotelito
Desconocido in Jalisco and Haciendas de Mexico in the Yucatan
Peninsula.
But it wasn’t until Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth,
that mainstream consumers, governments and companies around the
world realized that the environment and poverty were not to be left
to NGOs and governments only, but that society itself plays a vital
role. He also explained that a lot of the responsibility was in our
hands to make changes in the way we consume and do business. So now,
sustainability issues are becoming a must in order to appeal and
satisfy the eco-conscious and consumers who are aware of the
problems. In some cases it has become mandatory as far as
international legislation goes.
In all, sustainable tourism refers to the practices of destinations,
companies and governments to ensure that minimal negative impacts
are created. There are no sustainable tourism markets per se,
however, there are well known segments and niches that are more
sensitive towards “sustainable practices” and they make their
choices based on that criteria. These segments include SAVE
(scientific, academic, volunteer and educational travel),
geotourists, ecotourists and birdwatchers for example.
On October 6th, 2008, the United Nations Foundation Founder and
Chairman Ted Turner joined the Rainforest Alliance, the United
Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations World
Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to announce the first-ever globally
relevant sustainable tourism criteria at the IUCN World Conservation
Congress. The new criteria – based on thousands of best practices
culled from the existing standards currently in use around the world
– were developed to offer a common framework to guide the emerging
practice of sustainable tourism and to help businesses, consumers,
governments, non-governmental organizations and education
institutions to ensure that tourism helps, rather than harms, local
communities and the environment.
Consumers are becoming savvier about their travel choices and are
realizing how their lifestyles impact the places they visit in a
positive or negative way. That is why in the fall of 2005, Expedia
and the UN Foundation have come together to create the World
Heritage Alliance with the agreement of the UNESCO World Heritage
Centre. The Mexico Tourism Board was the first country to join the
Alliance. The World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism is a
membership based initiative that works to support World Heritage
conservation, sustainable tourism, and local economic development
for communities in and around UNESCO World Heritage sites.
So how are all of these commitments making a difference in the
environment, community and consumer satisfaction?
The type of experiences consumers will find when visiting these
member destinations and hotels include:
Guided tours that highlight World Heritage sites given my local
communities who now feel more pride in their heritage, protect it
and earn a living while doing so
Specialized programs where you can rest assured that your dollars
are going directly to support local cultural heritage
Educational experiences right at your hotel room to help you better
understand how your dollars and actions are leaving zero negative
footprints behind while empowering local communities
Forget about Moctezuma’s revenge and venture into unique Mayan local
cuisine in communities that have been trained by five star hotels in
food and beverage management
High quality handicraft products made by the local community
available at your hotel, fair trade prices and authenticity worry
free
Pamper yourself at spas and restaurants that offer 100% natural,
locally produced, and fair trade products.
Volunteerism opportunities to dedicate some of your time to local causes