Ecology

World Tourism Comes To Mexico

By John Glaab, CIPS

The World Tourism Organization (WTO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source on tourism know-how. With 146 member countries, its headquarters is in Madrid, Spain. Mexico has been a WTO member since 1975.

WTO statistics state: Tourism accounts for six % of world wide exports and when including service exports that figure climbs to 30% of world wide exports.

This year the WTO came to Mexico to celebrate World Tourism Day (September 27th). The main event was a three-day Conference on the development of sustainable tourism held in La Paz, Baja California Sur. President Vicente Fox officiated at the unveiling of a plaque on La Paz’s Malecon from UNESCO, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. It commemorates UNESCO declaring the Islands of the Sea of Cortes, a World Heritage Site, which UNESCO proclaimed at a meeting last July in Durban, South Africa.

On the podium for the opening ceremony, held beside the Sea of Cortes at the new state aquarium, the home of former state Governors, were: the Governor of Baja California Sur, the Mayor of La Paz, the state Secretary of Tourism, the Director of the Mexican Foundation for Environmental Education and Mexico’s National Secretaries of the Departments of Tourism, the Environment and Natural Resources and Social Development.

Alberto Treviño, Secretary of Tourism for B.C.S. welcomed the Conference attendees and other dignitaries at an opening dinner. In his remarks, Alberto traced the history of the state and the development of the tourism industry. Rodolpho Elizondo Torres, National Secretary of Tourism, officiated at the opening of the Conference. In his opening remarks, Rodolpho stressed the importance of sustainable tourism to Mexico and the other 145 members of the WTO. Those attending the conference heard speakers including representatives from the World Bank, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Organization (APEC), UNESCO, The Association of Caribbean States, Directors of Mexico’s Departments of the Environment and Urban Development and Planning, the Mayor of La Paz and the Secretary of Tourism for Baja California Sur, academics from Baja California Sur and Colima, and students from state universities.

Speeches of note were given by Dr. Alya Saada, UNESCO’s Regional Advisor of Social and Human Sciences for Latin America and the Caribbean; and Ian Kean, Executive Director of APEC International Centre for Sustainable Tourism.

In her presentation, Dr. Saada, who was in attendance at the unveiling of the plaque commemorating the naming of the Sea of Cortes and its islands as a World Heritage Site, provided statistics on the World Heritage program. There are 812 official World Heritage sites. Of those, 628 are cultural, 160 natural and 24 mixed. Most of the cultural sites are in Europe while most of the natural sites are in Africa and Latin America.

In his remarks, Ian Kean, Executive Director, APEC International Centre for Sustainable Tourism provided the WTO definition for sustainable tourism: “Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems.”

He spoke of a new mechanism to provide advice and guidance to destinations that want to improve sustainable tourism management systems. Called “Total Tourism Management,” it has been developed in conjunction with the Australian Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre. It is the largest dedicated tourism research organization in the world.

The Mexican Department of the Environment has developed a certification program for hotels, destinations and tourism related businesses. Consumer research indicates travelers will pay a premium to stay at a “certified” destination.

About the author:

John Glaab is a Canadian, living in Mexico. He is International Vice President of The Settlement Company, Mexico’s oldest Escrow and Title Company and a founding member of AMPI, (Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals) Los Cabos and active in AMPI La Paz. He has been designated as a Certified International Property Specialist by the National Association of Realtors®

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November 2005 Table of Contents