The Maya - Q'eqchí and Garifuna cultures will offer tourism experiences with a focus on biodiversity conservation.

Honduras, March 10, 2020. Through the signing of an agreement, an alliance was formalised at the end of February for the planning of joint activities in the areas of promotion, knowledge updating, experience and lessons learned exchanges, among tourism communities located in protected areas of Honduras and Guatemala around the Gulf of Honduras.

The initiative was developed in collaboration with the Association of Environmental Management Programs ASOPROGAL, through the project “Forests, Biodiversity and Community Development.Srengthening National Protected Area Management in Guatemala and Honduras”, which is implemented by  CISP, together with the National Council of Protected Areas, and the organization Omoa Conservation Corps (CCO). It is financed by the European Union through the EUROCLIMA+ programme. In addition, the inter-institutional collaboration of WWF Central America is present.

The communities of both countries will be integrated and will work together through a bi-national sustainable tourism network called “Caribe Maya”, which is a source of jobs and economic income. A commitment was made to work together on four areas:   

1. To form a coordination structure for the governance of the network.
2. Implement a system of indicators in sustainable tourism and plans for continuous improvement.
3. Develop, promote and implement strategies for the promotion and marketing of tourism activities.
4. Promote political advocacy seeking recognition by the tourism governing bodies in both countries of community-based sustainable tourism in protected areas.

It is important to highlight that in the “Caribe Maya” network, the Mayan – Q’eqchí and Garifuna cultures are there to offer unforgettable tourism experiences, generating community development and promoting biodiversity conservation in protected areas.

DATA:

• The Caribe Maya Sustainable Tourism Network is a bi-national association that will strengthen a tourism destination with community management. It will promote the creation of enterprises located in protected areas around a spectacularly diverse ecosystem, the Mesoamerican reef system, which provides tourism services from different spheres; including cultural and environmental products, which are sources of income for the communities. This network will strengthen the work of the communities.
• Learn more about the project “Forests, Biodiversity and Community Development” here. 

About EUROCLIMA+

EUROCLIMA+ is a programme financed by the European Union and co-financed by the Federal Government of Germany through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), as well as by the Governments of France and Spain, to promote environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient development in 18 Latin American countries, particularly for the benefit of the most vulnerable populations. The Programme is implemented under the synergistic work of seven agencies: the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the French Development Agency (AFD), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Expertise France (EF), the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP),  the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), and UN Environment.

Contact for the press and more information:

Maite Cigarán: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Daniel Gallegos: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Photos: Project “Forests, Biodiversity and Community Development”