Mass tourism sustainability?

Cancun announces sustainable initiative

The Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau has announced a strategic alliance with Sustentur that will promote Cancun, Puerto Morelos, Isla Holbox, Isla Contoy and Isla Mujeres as destinations committed to the pursuit of sustainability.

As part of the CVB’s alliance with Sustentur, the destination will implement a programme that will illustrate Cancun’s move towards sustainability.

The programme consists of publishing a brochure with information about Cancun’s sustainable actions, and creating a microsite within the CVB’s website to communicate these actions. In addition the CVB promises to endorse outreach events and basic courses to implement more green tourism efforts.

 "We not only want tourists to be amazed by the natural beauty of Cancun and the warmth of our people, but we also want them to learn about the sustainable efforts carried out by the destination," said Jesus Almaguer, CEO of the Cancun CVB. "We hope visitors will support these initiatives during their vacations, and eventually lead them to incorporate these learnings at home."

The programmes objectives include: the identification of opportunities to position the destination in international forums with specialised tour operators; to design local, national, and international strategies to display these actions; and to coordinate the development of publications, videos, and messages on social networks regarding sustainable tourism.

The programme will be coordinated by a local work group, who will support the promotion of eco actions in the area, train local tour operators and business partners on how to implement these actions, and continue to improve Cancun’s image as a destination committed to sustainability.

With the support of the Cancun International Airport, activities covered by the programme will include a communications campaign aimed at tourists to encourage them to be more conscious visitors.

The campaign will be coordinated through consultation with local businesses, government, and organisations that will establish the most important sustainable actions that have been or need to be implemented.

 "Sustainable tourism has gone from being just a trend to becoming a matter of competitiveness between tourism destinations," said Vicente Ferreyra Acosta, the General Director of Sustentur.

Ferreyra also mentioned the importance of the 2015 Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report that identifies the importance of sustainable tourism. This report, developed by the World Economic Forum, comprises of 14 pillars which conceptualise the main drivers of competitive tourism – four of the 14 are related to sustainability.

Ferreyra also said that Cancun is already on its way to sustainability, with six protected areas, including: The Yum Balam Biosphere Reserve; Whale Shark Biosphere Reserve; Isla Contoy National Park; Isla Mujeres West Coast, Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc National Park; the Protected Area of Nichupe; and the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park.

Using hashtags like #turquoisetuesdays on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, the CVB has been able to further support efforts by hotels, restaurants, tour operators and other entities in the destination that strive to become more environmentally-friendly. .

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