Reactivating the Tourism Industry through "Adaptur"

Mexico's Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR) and several government institutions have implemented a national program to achieve sustainable tourism through "Adaptur," aiming to address climate change. Miguel Torruco Marqués, Minister of Tourism, indicated that climate change and sustainability have been priority issues for the current administration.

SECTUR, in coordination with the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ), the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SERMANAT), the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INCC), and the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), have taken on the task of seeking alternatives to address the adverse effects that climate change brings to the tourism sector.

The strategic partners' collaboration allowed the implementation of the "Adaptur" program, which is being developed in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Riviera Nayarit, Jalisco and Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, where the private sector has actively participated in the development of criteria, investment guidelines and risk studies. The Ministry of Tourism reports that information and technical advice is being provided to entrepreneurs in the industry to strengthen their capacities and undertake concrete actions to ensure mangroves, coral reefs, and mountain recovery. "Adaptur benefits the forestry communities, under a payment for environmental services scheme, as well as helping entrepreneurs, reduce costs in the medium and long term, and offering tourists a more intimate contact with nature," Torruco Marqués explained.

Humberto Hernández-Haddad, Undersecretary of Tourism, indicates that there has been constant communication with the representatives of the 32 states through the Union of Ministers of Tourism of Mexico (ASETUR) to acknowledge the new policies on climate change and the progress made in the country on the subject. He reiterated that the Ministry of Tourism continues to take firm steps towards a sustainable industry that functions as an engine of social wellbeing.

In addition to Adaptur, the Ministry of Tourism has developed several projects. Such as Foresstur, whose purpose is to make tourism a tool for wellbeing and social reconciliation and Kuxatur, to properly conserve biodiversity in coastal ecosystems. The last project is being implemented in Sian Ka'an, Quintana Roo, Sierra La Laguna, Baja California Sur and Huatulco, in Oaxaca. Another program developed by the Ministry is the "Montezuma Fish Route," as well as the "Empowerment to Entrepreneurship" project, which will help address the negative impacts caused by COVID-19.

As previously reported by MBN, Mexico hosts twelve percent of the planet's biodiversity. Its wide range of ecosystems gives it a privileged position to promote this kind of tourism, considering the abundance and diversity of resources. Some of the possible tourist sites of interest are caves, cenotes, reefs, lagoons, waterfalls and deserts. Mexico also has 15,000 km of coastline, 137 million hectares of forests and jungles, 770,000 hectares of mangroves, 182 Natural Protected Areas and 363 areas voluntarily set aside for conservation.