Sustainable Tourism on Riviera Maya

 

On a recent trip to Riviera Maya, south of Cancun, I discovered that the several (fabulous) golf courses along the resort coast are intimately involved in preserving and restoring their precious natural environment, from mangrove forests to cenotes and waterways. See my recent article on "green golf" in AirTran's inflight magazine GO.

Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, which includes the Riviera Maya Caribbean coast, has been the focus of intensive resort development in recent years, and accordingly, the tourism arm of the country's Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources has developed a new standard called "Environmental Requirements and Specifications for Site Selection, Design, Construction, and Operation of Tourism and Real Estate Developments on the Yucatan Peninsula." The goal is to promote and support sustainable tourism (comprised of environmental, economic and social benefits). The new standard will be the basis of sustainable tourism certification, serving as a frame of reference for developers, entrepreneurs and government officials and strengthening environmental impact evaluation along the coastline.

Among natural and historic sights to see and enjoy on Riviera May are Sian Ka'an, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; the coral formations of the Great Maya Reef; and the glorious and dramatic Mayan pyramids of Cobá and Tulum.