The presentation was carried out by Mexico’s Tourism Minister, Gloria Guevara Manzo, and receiving the Certification, on behalf of Huatulco, was the local State Governor, Gabino Cué Monteagudo, in the presence of Gustavo Ramos Fumagalli, EarthCheck’s embassador to latin America, as well as other local officials.

Basically, the locality of Huatulco, created -literally- by the Mexican Tourism Fund (Fonatur) almost 30 years ago, was judged to be the first totally carbon-nuetral tourism destination on the planet, an impressive feat which is certainly worth some kind of recognition, but with the regognition coming from the EarthCheck program, there should be no doubt as to the reliability of the acheivement.

Without doubt, this Certification will place Mexico in the minds of many people when thinking about their vacations, especially those who do actually think about the carbon footprint of their actions. In fact, this Certification couldn’t have come at a better time –in one sense- given the fact that 2011 is the ‘Year of Tourism in Mexico.’

In the words of the country’s Tourism Minister: “for its natural setting, Huatulco is considered as one of the most beautiful and important tourism destinations of the country, as well as for its balanced and sustainable tourism promotion.”

The conservation work carried out in the locality of this impressive resort has finally been awarded some international recognition for its efforts in the fields of protecting the local habitat, including both flora and fauna, along with water recycling activities, low levels of energy consumption and water treatment, as well as many other preservation programs in favour of sustainabilty.

During the presentation ceremony the local Governor informed the guests that in the state of Oaxaca tourism activity offers direct employment to around 30,000 people and contributes no less than 16 per cent of the total GDP of the entity.

Huatulco is basically a collection of 9 bays offering 36 secluded beaches located along Oaxaca’s Pacific Coast with a spectacular backdrop of mountains and jungle, in all, encompassing around 21,000 hectares including 35 kilometres of well-preserved coastline. Perhaps most importantly, 70% of the area is under some kind of ecological protection!

This is  certainly good news for Huatulco, Oaxaca, and Mexico’s tourism sector as a whole because it places the country at the forefront in the battle to protect and preserve our natural surroundings.

Congratulations to all the folks down in Huatulco!

Recently announced by the Mexico City Tourism Minister, Alejandro Rojas Díaz Durán, together with the Head of the Delegation Magdalena Contreras, Eduardo Hernández Rojas, the two highlighted the fact that the area is made up of four specific eco-tourism attractions which collectively receive around 700,000 visitors per year.

The touristic corridor is made up of the Eco-Archaeological Center of the Cerro Mazatepetl, the Adventure Park of Ocotepec, the Touristic Corridor of Los Dinamos and the Park of San Nicolás Totolapan, each of which should benefit by the recognition bestowed on their efforts to promote this type of tourism in the capital city.

Together, these four attractions make up an area which offers easy access to the resident population of Mexico City as well, of course, as for the many visitors to the capital of the Republic looking to enjoy this type of attraction but who do not have time to travel further afield during their stay in the country.

According to Alejandro Rojas “this Declaration will put the area on a par with the other ‘Magic Towns’ of the country and will allow it to be catalogued as one of the touristic routes of Mexico,” thus stimulating the local population to create further sustainable tourism alternatives so as to attract additional tourism to the locality.

The first of the aforementioned attractions that currently make up the ‘touristic corridor’ is the Eco-Archaeological Center of the Cerro Mazatepetl, a hill where a collection of archaeological remains includes a (26 meter) pyramid surrounded by two mounds. To get here on public transport, there are buses (Route 42) that leave from the Viveros Metro, on the Green Line.

Formally inhabited by members of the tepaneca culture, the area is open to the public at weekends. The pyramid is dedicated to the deity of ‘the tortoise-jaguar’ who represented the fertility of the earth, along with the Wind God: Ehécatl, and was an excellent location for the observation of astrological phenomenon.

The last known Emperor to rule the tepaneca people was Maztla. However, according to the historians, this site was attacked and dominated by the Aztecs in the year 1380, due to its prime location which provided an excellent view out across the Valley of Mexico and thus formed an essential part of the protection for the city of Tenochtitlán, nowadays Mexico City.

Second on the list is the Touristic Corridor of Los Dinamos, located in the community of La Magdalena Atlitic, which in turn is located within the area denominated the Natural Protected Area of the Bosques de la Cañada de Contreras, which covers 2,429 hectares of forests and canyons and deposits the accumulated waters into the Magdalena River, the only river the city possesses.

An excellent option for a day trip, these canyons offer vertical rock faces apt for mountain climbing with a choice of 250 vertical routes; this area is also optimum terrain for the practice of mountain biking and there are areas dedicated to ‘official’ camping grounds for those who wish to stay overnight in these beautiful natural surroundings.

Of course, walking through this well-preserved environment is also an option, and to keep up your strength there are places where you can stop off for a bite to eat, included on the menu of many of these food stalls are the locally produced trout, there is even a school which provides courses on environmental education where you can drop in and see what’s on offer.

To arrive to this ecological park on public transport, there are several possibilities. You can take buses from San Ángel; from the Metro Miguel Ángel de Quevedo (Green Line) or from Taxqueña (at the southern end of the Blue Line), all these options take you to the village of La Magdalena Atlíltic, from there you only have to walk a couple of blocks to enter the park.

Third on the list is the Adventure Park of Ocotepec, which is a communal property managed by a group of 125 people who came together with the objective of preserving the area for purposes of ecotourism. The group was officially recognised in the year 1997.

Within the boundaries of this spectacular park, again to the southeast of the city, is the communal property of the community of San Bernabé Ocotepec; here, the menu of ecotourism options includes climbing, horse riding, mountain biking, rappel, walking and zip lines. Basically, something for all ages and grades of adventure.

Additionally, there are areas dedicated to camping, as well as palapas, or cabins, suitable for whole families wishing to spend the weekend or longer in these majestic natural sourroundings, though you must be aware that the family pet will not be allowed into the park!

This park provides a ‘security team’ for the protection of both the park and its visitors. Most of the people who attend the park just come for a day trip, but many stay longer, with overnight stays being quite common. The administration team which runs the Park are founding members of the Union of Rural Eco-Touristic Group of the Federal District*.

For those wishing to visit this adventure park, public transport options include buses (Route 111) leaving the Taxqueña Metro (Blue Line) to Oyamel por Escuela. From the Univesity (UNAM), the Ruta 100 buses, also take you to Oyamel, as do other buses (Route 42) from Viveros Metro (Green Line), and from M.A. de Quevedo Metro (Green Line), buses on Route 66 take you to ‘Escuela San Bernabé Oyamel.

Finally, there’s the Park of San Nicolás Totolapan, which was created in 1998 as the first ‘official’ ecotourism project to be created in any of the natural protected areas of the Mexican capital, in this case, an area covering 1,900 hectares of template forests of fir, pine and oak trees.

Also located to the southeast of the capital city, this Park first offered its visitors the option of mountain biking, but since then many other ecotourism options have been added to the menu of activities, as well as cabins and camping areas.

An excellent option here for the kids is a visit to see the white-tailed deer and the collared peccary, which are bred for preservation purposes within a four-kilometer area called “La Guinda,” located just 250 meters from the entrance to the Park, and which is registered with the Semarnat**.

A little further into the park, literally 600 meters into the area, visitors can attend courses on the recycling of paper, how to grow medicinal plants, create products from rabbit fur and many other options at the ‘Granja Productiva – Productive Farm,’ which is a favourite of the visiting school groups and an excellent way to foment the protection of the environment among the future generations.

But not all the work carried out at the park is related to the actual preservation of species or educational programs, there are also a variety of eco-adventure possibilities including the aforementioned mountain biking activites which takes you along a 5-kilometer track through the forests, or maybe you’d prefer to take a zip-line and glide your way above the earth at a height of 15 meters.

If you prefer something a little less strenuous, why not just have a walk along the winding paths and appreciate the beauty of the place and then have yourself a trout, grown on site at the trout farm which was created in 1997, where you can even hire a fishing rod and catch your own fish. Bon apetite!

To get to this Park on public transport, any of the buses that cover the Periferico Sur (the Southern part of Mexico City’s ring road) heading to Ajusco will drop you at the entrance, which is just past the Six Flags, but on the opposite side of the road,  at Kilometer 11.5 of the Picacho-Ajusco Highway.

*Unión de Grupos Rurales Ecoturísticos del DF, A.C., which was created in 2006.
** Semarnat: Secretaría de medio ambiente y recursos naturales – Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources.

The locality of the event is the ‘Cerro del Fortin,- the Hill Fort,’ also known as ‘the hill with the beautiful view,’ on the ouskirts of the state capital, Oaxaca de Juárez, where this year 13 different delegations will present their colorful costumes, traditional song and fascinating dances, as well as a host of gastronomical treats and many other facets of the daily life and beliefs of the region.

The original event, of pre-Hispanic origin, was a festival of reciprocal gift-giving and ceremonies in honor of the Diosa Centeotl -Corn Goddess-,  but with the arrival of the Spanish and their religion there was a blending of the pre-Colombian practices with the Franciscan and Dominican beliefs, leading to the current-day festivities.

Nowadays the ‘Gualaguetza’ festival offers visitors over 200 attractions: artistic, cultural and sporting events, as well as many other options including tasting sessions for the world’s best slow drink, the locally produced Mezcal, which dates back to pre-Colombian times -the Oaxacan version of Tequila- though not as famous, but certainly should be!

Prior to the actual event, visitors can attend the search to find la Diosa Centéotl – which in reality translates into the practise of the Queen overseeing the festivities- but this is not the typical search for only beauty, here the idea is to honour the woman who best knows the area and its traditions. Held on June 30th, this event can be witnessed in the local park ‘El Jardín El Pañuelito,’ in Oaxca City. The quest begins at 17:00 hours, local time.

In 1932, the festivities now known as the Guelaguetza were relocated to the city of Oaxaca as part of the 400th Anniversary of the founding of the state capital and, since 1974, the main arena for the festivities has been the Greek-style amphitheater located on the ‘Cerro del Fortin’ which seats approximately 11,000 people.

Without doubt, those of you who decide to attend the festivities will never forget the breathtaking pageantry, music and costumes that enliven the stage and the atmosphere with dances that portray events  such as the ‘baile de la pluma – dance of the feather,’ which depicts the fight between Moctezuma, the last Emperor of the Aztecs and son of the Emperor Huitzilihuitl, in battle against the Spanish invador: Hernan Cortes.

This year’s festival is the 79th edition, and unlike previous years, people wishing to witness this grand spectacle will actually be able to choose their seats when purchasing their tickets, now on sale at the bargain price of 400 pesos. So, the quicker you decide, the better seat options you’ll have.

Tickets can be purchased (400 pesos) online through Ticket Master, or at stores such as the music chain Mixup, Liverpool deparment stores and the bookstores Gandhi, among other options.

And talking of money, it’s predicted that this year’s Guelaguetza celebrations will provide the state with additional income of between 170 and 200 million pesos, testament to the importance of the event.

With (all inclusive) prices ranging from US$1,000 to US$3,000 dollars for the eight day cruise, the ports of call will be Havana (capital of Cuba), Trinidad, the largest of the two islands that make up Trinidad & Tobago, and Georgetown, capital of the Caymen Islands, before returnng to its home port of Puerto Progreso.

This new cruise option is only the second cruise-line company to offer ports of embarcation in Mexico, and is the first to offer them in the Mexican Caribbean, so this is excellent news for people flying into Cancun for their holidays if they fancy a twin-center holiday – onland and at sea.

Departures will be a weekly occurence at 20:00 hours (local time) leaving Puerto Progreso every Saturday evening for the week long tour (8 days, 7 nights) offering both history and culture in each of its ports of call, but each with its own specific style.

The port of Progreso is also a good starting point for visitors wishing to experience the marvellous architecture found at the Mayan cities of Uxmal and Chichen Itza, the latter being the host to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World: the Kukulkan pyramid.

Puerto Progreso is able to handle over a million passengers per year and is the site of regattas almost every weekend of the summer, so those of you who are interested in sailing as well as cruising will be even more tempted to visit this modern tourist port.

Other nearby attractions for visitors include tours for the observation of the flamingos in Celestun, visits to Haciendas and sink holes, the latter being the site of many Maya traditions, whilst the Loltún caves also offer an opportunity to learn a little about the religeous ceremonies carried out by the Maya, as well as the archaeological sites of Labná and Sayil, built in the Puuc style.

The Hilton Worldwide executives presented no less than seven of the company’s 10 brands to an audience made up of some of the country’s top decision makers with regard to hotel investments within the country.

Regarding the opening of the company’s new hotels in Mexico, George Massa, the vice president and managing director of development for Mexico, announced that this year the company would open 5 new hotels in Mexico, with a further two new hotels being introduced in early 2012.

Among the hotel inaugurations planned for this year are new installations in Tuxtla Gutierrez, in the southern state of Chiapas (Hilton Garden Inn hotel); meanwhile, the state capital Queretaro (Queretaro), the Colonial city of Merida (Yucatan state) and Mexico City, will see the Hilton opening its three new DoubleTree istallations.

Last but not least, the company will be presenting its new offering in Ciudad del Carmen, along the Gulf Coast of the southern state of Campeche, on the Yucatan Peninsula, in the form of the company’s Hampton Inn brand.

For early 2012, the Hilton aims to open the doors to a further two Hampton Inn establishments, one in Guadalajara and another Hampton Inn & Suites brand in Los Cabos, on the tip of the world’s longest Peninsula.

Hilton Worldwide has an additional five approved deals in Puerto Vallarta, Saltillo, Toluca, Zacatecas and Queretaro. The five hotels are scheduled to open by the end of 2012, growing the portfolio in Mexico from 22 hotels and resorts currently, to 34 properties by the end of next year.

According to the intervention by Danny Hughes, senior vice president for Hilton Worldwide in the regions of the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America: “We are witnessing great momentum in development efforts in Mexico and we are committed to continue expanding our footprint throughout the country.”

On a longer term perspective, the forum was also the scene of the announcement that Hilton Hotels, in addition to the current 7 brands spread throughout Mexican territory, aims to introduce its other three brands sometime in the future, they are the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Grand Vacations.

Furthermore, Hilton Worldwide has already established agreements to open a further 5 installations in Mexico towards the end of 2012, these to be located in Puerto Vallarta, Saltillo, Toluca, Zacatecas and Queretaro, though the brands are still to be announced.

So, by the end of next year, Hilton Worldwide will have increased their presence in Mexico from its current 22 hotels to no less than 34 establishemnts, without doubt showing that the company beleives Mexico’s tourism-sector growth is looking very positive in this ‘The Year of Tourism in Mexico.’

Finally, we should mention that this year’s host hotel for the company’s 6th Annual Development Forum, the Four Daimond Award Embassy Suites by Hilton Mexico City Reforma, was awarded a 500-dollar prize on the 1^st of June, to throw a party for its staff as part of the company’s Customer Really Matters (CRM) program. Cheers folks!

However, Mexico is definately the top choice so far this year, with the travel agancy reporting bookings to the Mexican Republic up 140% on last year’s figures. Additionally, the country comes in as a close third behind Egypt and Sri Lanka for best value in the All Inclusive Package Price Index.

According to Hayes & Jarvis Commercial Director, Niel Alobaidi “Mexico has shown the most dramatic growth of any destination, with demand fuelled by the start of British Airways flights from Gatwick to Cancun in November (of last year).”

There’s no doubt then that Mexico has benefitted from the introduction of British Airways’ direct flights to Cancun which began last year with twice weekly flights and were then increased to three flights per week almost immediately, with the company citing ‘the country’s heritage along the Yucatan Pensinsula,’ as the reason for the high demeand received for the new route.

Niel Alobaidi  went on to say that “prices remain exceptionally competitive now and so we expect the heavy demand for Mexico to continue as holidaymakers book early to get good deals.”

Obviously then, every town within the program (currently 40) will want to ‘win’ the new funding and thus make a greater attempt to fulfill the criteria and thus –in theory- improve the tourism offering throughout the whole program for the single 10-million-peso-prize funding.

To become the recipient of the funding, the winning entity will have to come top (on average) in the following range of criteria: level of development, tourism infrastructure and urban image, along with actions aimed at urban organization and regulation regarding street stalls and other transient commercial outlets.

Other areas to be considered include the participation of the local population, the work carried out by the local Committee of each of the entities within the program, along with the coordination efforts between the local government, state government and Federal Government.

Innovation will also contribute to the decision with regard to the funding, especially in themes such as the creation of local tourism ‘routes,’ ‘corridors’ and ‘circuits.’ And finally, how the local Committee is promoting local participation with regard to the socio-cultural aspects of the tourism offering.

The details of this latest funding for the Magic Towns project was announced by Fernando Olivera, sub-Secretary of Tourism Operations for the country’s Tourism Ministry, within the framework of the Fifth National Meeting of the Magic Towns, held this time in Comala, in Colima state., along with the procedure to follow if the entity wishes to be considered for the 10-million-peso funding.

Before the 15^th of June, each entity will have to present a formal letter of compromise through the local state tourism ministry, outlining which projects would be assigned the funding and to what end the monies would be used in each specific activity, including projects aimed at the touristic and cultural attractions of each entity.

Finally, the Magic Towns’ Inter-Institutional Committee Meeting will decide upon the winning entity, with the winner to be announced on June 30^th.

The monies for the credit lines will be provided by Mexico’s Economy Ministry (SE) and the government’s development bank: Nacional Financiera, each travel agency being considered by its size and sales with regard to the amount of credit made available to them, in general the idea being to allow them credit equivalent to around three months of current sales levels.

Travel agencies wishing to access the loans will be provided with ‘soft loan’ conditions offering lower interest rates than conventional bank loans and with extended grace periods making them more attractive given the below-market rates.

Infrastructure, technology and training are the main areas to be financed through the credit facilities on offer, the hope is to stimulate growth in the national tourism market as part of the government’s aim to place Mexico in the top five tourism destinations in the world by 2018.

In the words of Andres Pan de Soraluce, director general of OHL Development, the project developer: “The Mayakoba vision started with a desire to establish a new tourist development where environmentalism took center stage.”

The work carried out by the Mayakoba project in conjunction with communities in the surrounding area through the joint promotion of sustainable rural tourism activities was also mentioned as one of the reasons the project was honoured.

During her intervention at the Gala night for the awards ceremony, Gloria Guevara Manzo, Mexico’s Tourism Minister, highlighted the fact that “Mayakoba is the first tourist area to be recognized by the Rainforest Alliance for achievements in sustainable tourism. Mexico is very proud to have received this honor, because sustainability practices are our priority in the tourism sector.”

Meanwhile, another of the Rainforest Alliance’s honours was bestowed upon the Mexican Tourism Ministry, in this case for the actions taken to stimulate further protection for the biodiversity of the country, the award being received jointly by Gloria Guevara and the country’s sub-secretary of tourism planning, Ricardo Anaya.

By working hand-in-hand with the country’s tourism-sector participants, especially hotels and tour operators, the Mexican Tourism Ministry has promoted sustainable activities regarding the environment and its protection through the training of tourism-sector personnel.

This is good news for Mexico’s tourism sector as by being recognised within the framework of this important event, Mexico receives a little additional publicity for its sustainable activities and for its work in the promotion of the preservation of the environment on a global scale.

The Rainforest Alliance’s ‘Sustainable Standard-Setter’ and ‘Lifetime Achievement’ awards are an annual event, this year held in New York. The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.

In all, the exhibition, which will cover an area of 10,000 sq.ft., offers a combination of  science, history and cultural anthropology to the visitors interested in finding out about a Mexican city over 100 years ago and how the deceased from Guanajuato were naturally mummified in their crypts.

Kevin Prihod, President & CEO of the Detroit Science Center stated in a press release that “These mummies have attracted millions of visitors to Guanajuato and it is an honor to bring them to Dallas,” which will be the first time the exhibits have visited the Southwest of the United States.

This collection of mummies is believed to be the largest anywhere in the Western Hemisphere, so, although the exhibition will not appeal to all, this is an excellent opportunity to get to know just a little part of Mexican history and learn about life in Mexico through the use modern-day forensic technology which has helped in the laborious process of facial reconstructions.

“Through full-body CT scans at Oakwood Imaging Center (Dearborn, Mich.), along with recent x- rays and endoscopic examinations conducted by mummy experts Jerry Conlogue and Ronald Beckett of Quinnipiac University, we have made new and exciting discoveries about the mummies featured in the exhibition. We look forward to sharing our findings with Dallas visitors,” said Vivian Henoch, Medical Science Content Developer for the exhibition.

As a testament to the educational aspect of the exhibition, an educational guide with classroom activities and more will be available to school groups. The entrance fees to the exhibition are as follows: $15.95 for adults and $13.95 for seniors (60+) and children (2-12). The exhibition runs from May 27^th to September the 5^th, 2011.