This Training and Virtual Accompaniment Program is developed within the framework of the "Regional Fund for Triangular Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean Project: Strengthening the Resilience of Communities that depend on Nature Tourism in the face of the impact of the COVID19 Pandemic".
The crisis caused by the COVID 19 pandemic is an opportunity to rethink strategies and actions in the tourism economic sector, one of the most important worldwide, so that it contributes to the well-being of people, the environment and communities, making it more sustainable, resilient and inclusive.
In this context, the Regional Fund Project for Triangular Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean, in which Germany, Mexico and Guatemala participate through federal government institutions, establishes four lines of action that promote the preparation of tourism activities in accordance with biosecurity requirements, the strengthening of online communication tools for adaptation to post-pandemic markets, the consolidation of an alliance of networks to promote training, and the exchange of experiences at the regional level that contribute to increasing the resilience of communities in Guatemala and Mexico.
Objectives:
- Intensify the sense of community between companies and destination managers in Guatemala and Mexico.
- Encourage personal and professional connections between key players within the destination value chain.
- Strengthen specialized capabilities in companies and managers to enable them to access and respond professionally to markets and promote landscape management.
- Provide key opportunities and resources for social enterprises and destination managers.
Scope:
- Strengthen the capacities of participating organizations (business, commercial, operational and sustainable practices).
- Contribute to digital business readiness.
- Position products and/or services in the digital environment.
- Promote actions for the resilience of community enterprises.
- Implement the equipment scenarios determined in the last quarter of 2021.
Target audience:
- 20 Nature Tourism companies in Guatemala and Mexico.
- Nature Tourism Destination Managers in Guatemala and Mexico.
Development period: July 2022 to January 2023.
In interaction with other tourism companies, the ventures will be able to design transformative experiences adapted to market trends, connect with commercial allies and strengthen their business model in a strategic and sustainable manner.
Committed to conserving natural environments and generating wellbeing in host communities, we work together with local leaders to create responsible and inclusive tourism.
More than 450 tourism ventures in Mexico and Central America have already strengthened their value chains with La Mano del Mono by means of the Modelo Market Ready!
CULTIVATION GUATEMALA - 10 VENTURES
Organizations belonging to the Asociación de Comunidades Forestales para el Petén (ACOFOP):
- Civil Society for Development Árbol Verde
- Cooperativa Integral Agropecuaria Técnica Petén
- Organization, Management and Conservation (OMYC) - Uaxactun
Organizations belonging to the Association for the Sustainable Development of the Territory of Yaxhá (ASODESTY):
- Community Association for the Integral Development of the Yaxha region (land transporters).
- Association of Women for Fruit Development of Yaxha (AMFRUTY).
- Asociación Comunitaria para el Desarrollo Integral los Tulipanes de Yaxha (water transportation).
- Asociación de Desarrollo Integral Comunitaria La Máquina de Yaxha (artisans).
- Asociación Gastronómica Seis Cielo (restaurant).
- Young Entrepreneurs Association (convenience store).
- Yaxha Community Tourist Guides Association.
Allies:
- Association of Forestry Communities for the Petén (ACOFOP).
- National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP).
- Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT).
- German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), Guatemala.
- Institute of Anthropology and History of Guatemala (IDAEH).
In the following link you can learn more about Phase 1 of the project (July to September 2021), in which these enterprises were benefited with communication equipment.
CULTIVATION MEXICO - 12 VENTURES
Jalisco
- Ejido Palmita del Cacao
- Café Napoles Restaurant
- Ejido El Cuale
- Tierra Madre Tours
- Sierra Magica
- Casa Tia Anita SRL de CV
Commercial Allies
- Intermunicipal Board of Sierra Occidental and Costa Jalisco (JISOC)
- Biocultural Landscape of the Western Sierra of Jalisco
- Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development (SEMADET)
- University of Guadalajara (UAG)
- Secretary of Tourism of Jalisco (SECTUR)
Oaxaca
- Ecotourism Banetzi
- Ecotourism Cascada de Niebla Waterfall
- Ecotourism Analco Latzi Duu
- Ecotourism Capulalpan
- Ecotourism Cuajimoloyas Yaacuetzi
- Ecotourism San Pablo Etla
Commercial Allies
- Ministry of Environment, Energy and Sustainable Development Oaxaca (Semaedeso)
- Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca (UABJO)
- National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp)
Selection Criteria
The Jalisco and Oaxaca committees selected the companies based on the following criteria, based on their self-assessment and prior knowledge of the companies.
| No. | Criteria | Ranking | Value in Points |
| 1 | Be participative (those who have expressed the most "hunger/desire") | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Seeking TRAINING and not so much economic resources. | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Have legal incorporation of the company (by law, fiscal) | 3 | 2 |
| 4 | Years of operation >3 | 4 | 2 |
| 5 | To be an ejido or cooperative ecotourism center. | 5 | 2 |
| 6 | Completed Market Ready Self-Assessment | 6 | 1 |
| 7 | Have a level of Market Readiness Emergent or Visitor Ready | 7 | 1 |
| 8 | Gender (inclusion of women) | 8 | 1 |
| 9 | Have a functional website and/or Facebook Fan Page. | 9 | 1 |
| 10 | Facilities (good internet signal and/or proximity to strategic points to receive training). | 10 | 1 |
