Sowing Sustainable Dreams: From Desire to Reality

It all started as a dream...! This was mentioned by César Rivas from Fundación Azteca, who shares how the Growing Sustainable and Market Ready Destinations It began as a dream in a classroom at the Universidad del Medio Ambiente (UMA) and, based on hard work and alliances, became a reality that reached its peak on April 27 when the results of the program were presented. 

Cultivation of Sustainable Destinations and Market Ready with Fundación Azteca

In La Mano del Mono in collaboration with Sustentur we had the joy and privilege of promoting the design and implementation of the program so that this dream materializes through the model. Market Ready together with a group of outstanding strategic allies comprised by Aztec Foundation, GIZ - Good Governance, Aeromexico, Elektra, Adaptur and of course, by twelve (12) ventures that after a national call launched at the end of 2022 were selected to be part of this process that officially began on January 17, 2023. 

The program of Growing Sustainable and Market Ready Destinations was carried out with the objective of developing and strengthening capacities, promoting the formation of alliances and cooperation between entrepreneurs and commercial partners, as well as impacting sustainability practices, profitability and the conservation of the bioculturality of the destinations. After 5 intense and satisfactory months, the cultivation culminated with the commercial validation where the entrepreneurs showed their prototype experiences to national and international commercial partners who validated their offer. This was accompanied by a differentiating element such as the media support of Fundación Azteca, which opened the channels to make visible the initiatives of each venture.  

To culminate the program, on April 27, 2023 through a webinar moderated by Vicente Ferreyra from SustenturThe program, allies and entrepreneurs gathered to share experiences, satisfactions, emotions and results of this program, which in addition to meeting everyone's expectations, brought about something that, as Angela Paredes of Sustentur mentioned, could not have happened if each of the participants, the twelve (12) entrepreneurs and allies, had acted separately: to generate a community of learning and growth. 

Cultivation of Sustainable Destinations and Market Ready Tv Azteca

This "happy coincidence", as Angela put it, enriched everyone and as such, the program not only strengthens each of us who were part of it, but also sustainable tourism as an alternative for economic and social promotion, which preserves and protects the wealth of the communities. 

The program obtained concrete results that translate into: an average of 160 hours of work per venture, the design and development of 25 prototypes of sustainable tourism experiences, a commercial validation that managed to connect the ventures with 28 commercial allies at the national and international level, thus generating a total of 96 commercial appointments to promote the tourism products cultivated during the process, and 3 ventures that will travel to the International Tourism Fair from January 23 to 27, 2024. 

In addition, five (5) ventures will receive support with equipment and materials, and twelve (12) ventures will receive support from Fundación Azteca for the dissemination of their offerings. 

But beyond these excellent results, what this year's event left us with Growing Sustainable Destinations and Market Ready, was inspiration, happiness, energy and affection. According to Mauricio Miramontes from the team at La Mano del Mono, also generated a collaborative community that, based on alliances, is developing joint solutions. These not only strengthen their business models, but also take advantage of the opportunity to transform realities through tourism.  

Congratulations to the twelve (12) ventures that, guided and supported by Grecia Barcena y Johana Shorack from La Mano del MonoThey have successfully followed this path! As Rosa Ochoa of Villa Ecoturística La Huerta points out, "the program allowed them to gain confidence and certainty to share and present their value offer in the market".

1. Connecta Viajeros - Querétaro

2. The 4E- Tlaxcala

3. Mil Cumbres Alternative Tourism - Estado de México

4. Las Tres Lagunas -Chiapas

5. Biocultural Tourism Yoloaltepetl - Tlaxcala

6. Villa Ecoturística La Huerta - San Luis Potosí

7. Community Tours Sian Ka'an - Quintana Roo

8. Trueke - Mexico City

9. Bike Park San Lucas - State of Mexico

10. Expediciones del Norte - Chihuahua

11. Nikaui: We are tourist experiences - Coahuila

12. Cerro Pelón Xplor - Chiapas

Each of the ventures put time, dedication and a lot of openness to learn and improve. In addition, they shared with everyone a bit of who they are and what they are pursuing. The Nikaui team, which as Razh Arrañaga states, is a tribe of passionate people committed to generating inclusive tourism. Or the Tres Lagunas de la Selva Lacandona team, which, according to Eduardo Chankin, works to create alternative synergies in cities to care for the quality of life of thousands of families through transformative and sustainable tourism.

"I feel fortunate to have taken this training program, very complete, very high quality and valuable in every way. thank you for everything!".

Alejandro López - Mil Cumbres Alternative Tourism

The purpose of La Mano Del Mono is to create alliances for the wellbeing of local communities and conservation of natural areas by promoting sustainable tourism, where alliances are key to its success. Therefore, the Cultivation of Sustainable Destinations and Market Ready was another example of how working together can generate benefits for all involved.

Written by Carlos Aguilar - Lead Facilitator

Proofreading and Style:

Viviana Vasquez - Communication Leader 

Grecia Bárcena - Lead Facilitator