Mexico Aims to Highlight Sustainable Travel

Green Living Project, Mexico Tourism Board, Rainforest Alliance, Conservation International, and Sustainable Travel International have joined forces to showcase six examples of eco travel companies in Southeast Mexico. The selected tourism companies will be placed in the spotlight at the United Nations Climate Change Conference this November, in Cancun, Mexico.

The companies were selected thanks to various sustainable travel practices, from organic food to geo-tourism. The Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, which provides principles and guidelines for tourism businesses, helped determine which companies to highlight. The nominees include Community Tours Sian Ka'an (Quintana Roo), Fairmont Mayakoba (Quintana Roo),  Finca Argovia Coffee Plantation (Chiapas), Hacienda Chichen Resort (Yucatan), Huatulco (Oaxaca), and Pueblos Mancomunados (Oaxaca).

Community Tours Sian Ka'an is located in the first established biosphere in Mexico. Sian Ka'an means "where the sky is born" in Mayan, and the area comprises 1.3 million acres of diverse ecosystem, including mangroves, lowland forest and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. The reserve is home to jaguars, howler monkeys, crocodiles, turtles, pumas, ocelots, and over 300 species of birds. Community Tours Sian Ka'an is a tourism alliance composed of three travel companies committed to sustainable travel: including conservation, educating tourists and providing authentic cultural exchanges.

Fairmont Mayakoba is a nearby resort in the Riviera Maya, dedicated to improving waste management policies, conserving energy and so forth. Finca Argovia Coffee Plantation is a "gastronomy" hotel, located on a coffee plantation. Finca Argovia produces organic coffee, limits chemicals and recycles all residue from coffee production. A hydroelectric plant generates all electricity on the property. The resort offers sustainable travel tours, including biking, walking and cultural excursions.

Hacienda Chichen Resort is a lovely-looking eco-spa, which boldly calls itself "the most unique green hotel and boutique spa resort among haciendas of Yucatan." The owners of the last three generations have sought to preserve Mayan traditions, conserve the natural environment, and promote sustainable travel in the Yucatan.

Huatulco, or "Bahías de Huatulco" and Pueblos Mancomunados are both located in Oaxaca, and comprised of multiple tourism companies. Huatulco is a tourist development in the town of La Crucecita, including a number of boutique hotels and luxury resorts. Pueblos Mancomunados includes eight Zapotec villages in heavily forested areas. An ecotourism program offers simple lodgings, as well horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking along trails.

By showcasing commendable efforts in eco-tourism, Antonio del Rosal, Marketing Coordinator of the Mexico Tourism Board, hopes to show that Mexico is "walking the walk". He says, "We have some great success stories from all different sectors in the tourism industry, from community-based initiatives to destinations to mainstream hotel companies." Green Living Project is a media company dedicated to documenting and promoting sustainable travel initiatives. So, hopefully, Mexico will get some press for their eco efforts in Southeast Mexico.

Photo credit: Amy Mew