Ecotourism in Mexico

I just got back from my vacation in Mexico yesterday, so I thought I’d write about the important idea of ecotourism, particularly in Mexico.

Ecotourism is the practice of touring natural habitats in a manner meant to minimize ecological impact. It involves having an organization’s activities increase environmental awareness or help raise money for certain conservation programs. The main goal of ecotourism is to conserve the biological and cultural diversity of the area, and to promote biodiversity from generating money and business opportunities in ecotourism-related systems.

Mexico has developed a great ability to properly regulate its environment, and has created many successful environmental programs; the development and enforcement of these environmental programs in Mexico is expected to improve with the modernization the country’s economy. Because of the many environmental (and non-governmental) organizations that they are a part of, the country is showing itself to be growing rapidly in their environmental awareness. Alltournative is an initiator in ecotourism in the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico, and has founded many sustainable development ecotourist projects that have benefited many aspects of development, including economic, social, and cultural, of the Mayan communities. Alltournative ecotourism projects increase the income of and improve the quality of life of the Mayan communities, while preserving their culture, customs, and natural environment. Some of these Mayan groups are Pac-Chen, Tres-Reyes, Rancho San Felipe, and Katenah.

A specific hotel that is known as a model representative of sustainable tourism in Mexico, is Hacienda Tres Rios Resort. This hotel rose above the environmental regulations, developing and installing ecologically friendly equipment and implementing practices that significantly reduce utility consumption, save energy, and support protection of wildlife and reforesting projects with their involvement in plant and wildlife management programs.

To use a specific example of a preservation technique, it is becoming more and more common that locations in Mexico only allow a certain sun tan lotion to be used in order to protect many elements of the natural environment. This sun tan lotion is biodegradable, breaking down naturally in the environment, and lacking the ingredients that are harmful to the underwater coral reefs. It is the only sun tan lotion permitted in many marine parks in Mexico, including Xel-Ha and Xcaret in the Mayan Riviera, both of which were very nearby the hotel I stayed in, and one of which I have been to previously. Some of the harmful ingredients in sunscreens are PABA, octinoxate, oxybenzone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, and butylparaben. These ingredients are known to settle on corals and other marine life, essentially suffocating them. This creates extensive damage to the marine environment and is good reason for implementation of a plan that can stop this from happening before it destroys the world’s coral. 

I think tourism in an ecological manner is extremely important in preserving the beautiful and natural environment of many places around the world. Recently, travelers’ interests in environment preservation has increased environmentally responsible tourism, and the tourism industry in general. I strongly believe in the importance of preserving a culture and its customs, as well as protecting the elements of nature and increasing the public’s awareness of conservation techniques.

Here is a link to a more detailed explanation of the negative effects certain sunscreens have on the environment: http://www.eturbonews.com/1414/tourist-sunscreen-‘killing-coral-reefs’