EcoColors

Socio-cultural impacts are those that affect local communities’ social structures and culture. One of the benefits of tourism is the promotion of tolerance and acceptance of different cultures through education and direct experience. This can support a diverse “global community” and not a world of monoculture. As a tourism provider, it is important to help local and indigenous people maintain their cultural integrity in the face of vast economic promises. In the long run, this benefits both the business and the community. Maintaining the cultural integrity of local communities will also minimize resentment from people who are negatively affected by tourism. EcoColors specifically works with many Mayan communities establishing business relationships with fair deals where both groups achieve win-win situations. Some examples are the community of Siankaan, a community of Ek Balam, a community of Jose Maria Morelos, a community of Nuevo Durango, a community of Kantemoh, and many more communities. In recent years we have connected incentive groups wanting to benefit local communities to develop productive projects that benefit Mayan communities quality of life and economic income. A recent example allowed us to help a Maya community to produce from 10 liters of honey a year to 1000 liters.

This relates to operational impacts on land, air, water, and other organisms. Recycling waste, controlling water usage, minimizing greenhouse gases, and protecting natural ecosystems are all measures that play a role in global environmental processes. Indeed, loss of biodiversity, global warming, and climate change, as well as water quality and scarcity are all problems that have a worldwide scope. Just to mention a couple of specific activities EcoColors separates and recycles the garbage in our office and trips. We reuse rainwater from our roofs for gardening and we treat wastewater in an artificial wetland. We also contribute actively in research projects with whale sharks, coral reefs in Puerto Morelos, we also participate with Marine recreation providers on the adoption of voluntary standards that help the reef. Finally, we just started to participate in a very ambitious project to plant 1 million trees in the Yucatan peninsula through donation of money to the Project plant for the planet.

EcoColors is actively working to ensure the preservation of our destination and culture for future generations. This equates to more attractive environments and better products. We are currently working with different NGO´s such as the Mexican Association of Adventure Travel and Ecotourism, World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, Travel Foundation, Amigos de Sian Kaan, The Coral Reef Alliance and many more in unique training programs on ecotourism, development of best practices, code of ethics and many important actions to achieve or get closer to a sustainable tourism practice.

In each of our trips we make the traveler enjoy an environment full of culture and traditions. Depending on the season we take you to know the different celebrations in communities so that in addition to enjoying the culinary traditions, they know the warm and familiar atmosphere of the Mexicans, with music and clothing representative of the region.