Case Studies UNDP: COMMUNITY TOURS SIAN KA'AN, Mexico

7/27/2019 Case Studies UNDP: COMMUNITY TOURS SIAN KA'AN, Mexico

1/8

Equator Initiative Case StudiesLocal sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities

Mexico

COMMUNITY TOURS SIANKAAN

Empowered live

Resilient nation


2/8

UNDP EQUATOR INITIATIVE CASE STUDY SERIES

Local and indigenous communities across the world are advancing innovative sustainable development solutions that wo

or people and or nature. Few publications or case studies tell the ull story o how such initiatives evolve, the breadth

their impacts, or how they change over time. Fewer still have undertaken to tell these stories with community practition

themselves guiding the narrative.

To mark its 10-year anniversary, the Equator Initiative aims to ll this gap. The ollowing case study is one in a growing ser

that details the work o Equator Prize winners vetted and peer-reviewed best practices in community-based environmenconservation and sustainable livelihoods. These cases are intended to inspire the policy dialogue needed to take local succ

to scale, to improve the global knowledge base on local environment and development solutions, and to serve as models

replication. Case studies are best viewed and understood with reerence to The Power of Local Action: Lessons from 10 Years

the Equator Prize, a compendium o lessons learned and policy guidance that draws rom the case material.

Click on the map to visit the Equator Initiatives searchable case study database.

EditorsEditor-in-Chief: Joseph Corcoran

Managing Editor: Oliver HughesContributing Editors: Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Erin Lewis, Whitney Wilding

Contributing WritersEdayatu Abieodun Lamptey, Erin Atwell, Toni Blackman, Jonathan Clay, Joseph Corcoran, Larissa Currado, Sarah Gordon, Oliver Hughe

Wen-Juan Jiang, Sonal Kanabar, Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Rachael Lader, Patrick Lee, Erin Lewis, Jona Liebl, Mengning Ma,

Mary McGraw, Gabriele Orlandi, Brandon Payne, Juliana Quaresma, Peter Schecter, Martin Sommerschuh, Whitney Wilding, Luna Wu

DesignOliver Hughes, Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Amy Korngiebel, Kimberly Koserowski, Erin Lewis, John Mulqueen, Lorena de la Pa

Brandon Payne, Mariajos Satizbal G.

AcknowledgementsThe Equator Initiative acknowledges with gratitude the Community Tours Sian Kaan (CTSK), and in particular the guidance and input

Roman Caamal, Operations Coordinator. All photo credits courtesy o CTSK. Maps courtesy o CIA World Factbook and Wikipedia.

Suggested CitationUnited Nations Development Programme. 2012. Community Tours Sian Kaan, Mexico. Equator Initiative Case Study Series. New York, N
http://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/Power_of_Local_Action_Final_2013.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/Power_of_Local_Action_Final_2013.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/Power_of_Local_Action_Final_2013.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/Power_of_Local_Action_Final_2013.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/index.php?option=com_winners&view=casestudysearch&Itemid=858


3/8

PROJECT SUMMARYThe Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve is the largest marineprotected area in Mexico, spanning more than 1.3 millionacres o land and ocean. It has been designated a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site in recognition o its rich biodiversity andwealth o Mayan culture; Sian Kaan is Mayan or wherethe sky is born.

Working within this protected area is Community ToursSian Kaan, an alliance o three sustainable ecotourismcooperatives that work directly with the Punta Allen andMuyil indigenous communities. While the Sian Kaan

Biosphere Reserve receives thousands o visitors everyyear, indigenous communities have not historicallybeneted rom this trac or rom investments in thelocal economy: the initiative has aimed to change this bytraining community guides in operating small, group-basedecotourism ventures, promoting Mayan culture throughvisits to archaeological sites, and the sale o tourism-relatedhandicrat products.

KEY FACTS

EQUATOR PRIZE WINNER: 2006

FOUNDED: 2003

LOCATION: Tulum, Mexico

BENEFICIARIES: Three cooperatives in two villages

BIODIVERSITY: Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve

3

COMMUNITY TOURS SIAN KAANMexico

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background and Context 4

Key Activities and Innovations 5

Biodiversity Impacts 6

Socioeconomic Impacts 6

Sustainability 7

Partners 7


4/8

4

Community Tours Sian Kaan (CTSK) is an alliance o three

ooperatives that run sustainable ecotourism operations in the Sian

Kaan Biosphere Reserve. Working directly with members o the

unta Allen and Muyil indigenous communities, the organization

ses low-impact ecotourism to provide the local population with

ustainable livelihoods in a manner that does not diminish the

iodiversity or unique ecosystems ound within the reserve.

Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve

he Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve is the largest marine protected area

n Mexico. It spans more than 1.3 million acres o land and ocean and

as been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition ots rich biodiversity and wealth o Mayan culture. The reserve consists

lowland orests, ooded savannas, mangroves, and a portion o

he worlds second largest coastal ree the Mesoamerican Barrier

ee. It is also home to over 800 plant species, 350 bird species, and

mportant populations o jaguar, puma, ocelot, spider and howler

monkeys, crocodiles, and several types o turtles. The reserve also

ontains 23 diferent archaeological Mayan sites o pre-Columbian

ulture. Sian Kaan is Mayan or where the sky is born.

A community-based ecotourism enterprise

Community Tours Sian Kaan aims to make ecotourism a protable

ector or local communities and a catalyst or conservation action.Within the borders o the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve, the group

rganizes tours, trains and employs local guides, assists communities

in the development o tourism support services such as hotels

restaurants, and collaborates with national and international

governmental organizations to promote sustainable, low-im

tourism and high-impact conservation. The organization

to raise awareness about the cultural and natural wealth in

reserve, the challenges to its survival and the ways in which efe

action can be pursued. CTSK generates both direct and ind

employment or the local community.

CTSK was ounded in 2003 when the cooperatives o Punta A

Vigia Grande, Los Gaytanes, Uyoolche Maya, and Los Aluxes de M

joined orces to provide visitors with a consolidated menu o to

services. In 2007, a business plan was developed which outlinesuite o services and products that would be provided by CTS

a collective to visiting tourists. At the end o that year, the g

was ocially recognized and legally incorporated. Since then

organization has overseen an average annual visitor increase o

as well as a 30% increase in average household incomes.

Governance and institutional structure

The leadership o the CTSK is composed o a president, secre

and treasurer. This executive meets at regular intervals

representatives o member cooperatives to develop short, med

and long-term work plans. Meetings are also held on an ad hoc

when specic challenges or opportunities arise.

Background and Context

Participation of the community is essential. Local people need to be empowered to make decision

about their resources and the environments in which they live.

Roman Caamal, Operations Coordinator, Community Tours Sian Kaan


5/8

55

Key Activities and Innovations

While the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve receives thousands o

isitors every year, indigenous communities have not historically

beneted rom this trac or rom investments in the local economy.

CTSK aims to change that by redirecting the benets o a tourism-

based economy to the indigenous communities o the region.

Among the main activities o the company are small, group-based

cotourism ventures; operation o botanical gardens; promotion o

Mayan culture through visits to archaeological sites and operation o

community museum (in Muyil); awareness-raising campaigns on

biodiversity loss and indigenous culture; beach cleaning campaigns

as part o the companys environmental and social responsibility);

rainings and workshops or bird-watchers in the bird monitoring

enter (in Muyil); and engaging the local indigenous community inhe development and sale o new ecotourism-related products and

ervices.

CTSK promotes the conservation and preservation o the Sian

Kaan Biosphere Reserve through ecotourism, educational tours,

workshops in schools, and beach cleaning campaigns. The company

armarks 5% o ecotourism revenues or local conservation activities

nd has constructed a 1000-meter trail across a natural channel,

which has reduced the need or an environmentally damaging boat

aunch that was causing erosion in the channel.

Ecotourism in Sian Kaan

As a community-based ecotourism company, Community Tours Sian

Kaam aims to generate jobs or the local people and to promote the

egions natural and cultural wealth through ecotourism services.

CTSK places an emphasis on low-impact tourism that will ensure

he ongoing conservation and preservation o the reserve. This is

ccomplished by a company policy o working with and serving

mall groups o visitors. (Excursions and educational tours are carried

out in groups o no more than 12 people.) To carry out its tours, the

ompany maintains six 23-oot boats with outboard motors, twelve

wo-person kayaks, and two single person kayaks.

Visitors are ofered a range o services and outings, includin

walking tour o Muyil Forest, swimming in the Chunyaxche Lag

a sunset tour o the reserve, a kayak tour o a channel which pa

through our ecosystems, a catch-and-release y shing tour, a

birding and natural history walk) with exposure to the over 350

species in the reserve). The company works with the commun

develop new activities that draw on local knowledge and expe

and which source rom local artisans, painters and wood carver

CTSK aims to change the way tourism companies provide servic

the reserve. The company uses boats with environmentally rie

engines. Instead o bottled water or sot drinks, CTSK prov

visitors with juice made rom local ruits.

Botanical garden and bird monitoring

CTSK has created a botanical garden which houses largely med

plants or the preservation and dissemination o tradit

ecological knowledge. The garden also hosts a comm

museum, which provides visitors with inormation on the ora

auna o the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve and the Yucatan Peni

more broadly. The botanical garden and museum also receive

school children or presentations on biodiversity, conservation

Mayan culture where the children are encouraged to share their

personal ideas on where conservation and culture overlap.

The company is in the process o exploring partnerships with Mex

universities, specically those with conservation and ornitho

expertise. The objective o these partnerships is to encou

graduate students to conduct research in the community

monitoring center, thereby improving the communitys monito

and evaluation capacity and creating new data on which to

strategies or environmental care and the preservation o end

migratory bird species.


6/8

6

Impacts

BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS

Due to the conuence o a subtropical climate and shallow soil

depths, a rich and unique variety o vegetation is present in the Sian

Kaan Biosphere Reserve. Four distinct ecosystems are represented:

ropical evergreen orest, including the dominant Maya nut and

apodilla species and climber species such as lianas vines and a

variety o orchids; tropical deciduous orest (present in drier regions);

horny orest, which contains a heterogeneous mix o lowland

orests with a high thorn content; and sub-aquatic vegetation, which

s present in the areas brackish lagoons and marshes.

The reserve is home to a number o threatened species, includinghe endangered manatee, as well as regionally and globally

mportant populations o jaguar, puma, ocelot, spider and howler

monkeys, crocodiles, turtles, wild boar, badger, and armadillo. Some

o the 350 bird species ound in the reserve include the Ocellated

urkey, pheasant, toucan, cardinal and vulture. The reserve also

ontains a number o unique rog, toad, and lizard species as well as

attlesnakes, coral snakes, boas, yellow beards.

The tourism services provided by CTSK are educational in nature,

iming to raise awareness about the importance o protecting

nd conserving biodiversity in the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve.

Beach cleaning, workshops, and community discussion orums

have all helped to change local attitudes towards conservationnd the negative impacts human activity can have on the natural

environment. The company has overseen signicant reductions in

lash-and-burn arming, groundwater contamination, and hunting

or poaching).

SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS

The company has created income-generating opportunities,

employment and a value-added ecotourism model to benet the

ocal communities o Chumpon and Muyil. In addition to creating

direct employment in the ecotourism operation, CTSK also supp

local artisans by providing them with a space and showroom t

their products (in the company oce and community museum

average, the company aims to host and serve approximately

visitors per month.

CTSK runs a collaborative business model, bringing togeth

number o diferent community-based tour companies. The

result has been a reduction in price competition. Through CT

consortium o community-based tour companies has been ab

establish standards or pricing, and to raise tour prices by 40%

price o a three-hour tour has increased rom USD 90 in 2003 to

130 in 2006. By establishing similar standards or environmcare and reinvestment in the community, the company has

able to justiy this increase.

Investments have been made in training, education and works

or local translators, operations coordinators, receptionists

managers. Training places an emphasis on customer service.

staf in particular, guides are equipped to be knowledge

and passionate about local culture and biodiversity. The com

has worked with partners such as CYSK, UNESCO, UNEP, the U

Nations Foundation and Rare to build the capacity o nature gu

and that o the consortium to promote and market its ecotou

services.

The community-based ecotourism industry has provided the

population with an alternative to environmentally destru

activities that used to be mainstays o the local economy, na

poaching and illegal logging. Job creation has also reduced

migration to large cities, which has encouraged investmen

youth and long-term education. CTSK has expanded opportun

or local women, and broke new ground by hiring the rst e

tour guide in the reserve. The company helped launch a g

called Ulumil Beh a womens sel-help group that produces dr

ruit jam.


7/8

7

Sustainability and Replication

SUSTAINABILITYGovernment agencies, national non-governmental organizations

nd international stakeholders play an important role in the

ustainability o Community Tours Sian Kaan. A good amount o

upport has come in the orm o technical training, capacity building

nd the transer o managerial skills and know-how. Partners have

lso been instrumental in the development o marketing strategies,

mplementing community outreach and mobilization strategies,

nancial management, and the construction o inrastructure to

nhance service delivery in the community.

he development o trusted relationships with the tour operators,ravel agencies, hotels and promoters responsible or corralling

nd directing visitors to the reserve rom tourism markets such

s Cancun, the Mayan Riviera and Tulum has been an essential

omponent o success and will continue to be into the uture. By

elivering service-oriented ecotourism activities, CTSK has gained a

eputation or a reliably high quality experience.

here remains, however, a great deal o competition or tourists

oming to the region and to the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve.

Many o the operations the company is competing with have

ignicantly larger budgets and human resource power dedicated

o marketing, advertising and promotion. CTSK recognizes that the

est way to continue winning a larger and larger percentage o theourism market share is to ofer a unique and personal ecotourism

xperience which is set apart by its environmental responsibility and

espect or cultural integrity. This said, partnerships will need to be

everaged over the longer term to penetrate markets beyond the

each o personal testimonials and word o mouth.

he community notes a need or greater exibility rom government

gencies in meeting bureaucratic requirements or permits, licenses

nd business operations. A more enlightened policy environment,

which created incentives and allowances or community-based

action would improve the adaptive capacity o CTSK and th

other grassroots and indigenous organizations looking to c

sustainable livelihoods rom non-extractive activities.

PARTNERSHIPS

Current partners to the CTSK alliance include Expedia (in partne

with the United Nations Foundation); the Management o

Biosphere Reserve; the Government o Mexico; and Rare, a

governmental organization that provides technical assistanc

local capacity building.


8/8

Equator Initiative

Environment and Energy GroupUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

304 East 45th Street, 6th Floor

New York, NY 10017

Tel: +1 646 781-4023

www.equatorinitiative.org

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UNs global development network, advocating or change

onnecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better lie.

The Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizati

o recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions or people, nature and resilient communities.

2012 by Equator Initiative

All rights reserved

Click the thumbnails below to read more case studies like this:

FURTHER REFERENCE

Community Tours Sian Kaan website: siankaantours.org/en

Video on Community Tours Sian Kaan, Green Living Project (Vimeo) vimeo.com/29992277#
http://www.siankaantours.org/enhttps://vimeo.com/29992277#https://vimeo.com/29992277#http://www.siankaantours.org/enhttp://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/com_winners/casestudy/case_1348163843.pdfhttp://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/com_winners/casestudy/case_1348161939.pdfhttp://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/com_winners/casestudy/case_1348161375.pdf

Documents

Case Studies UNDP: COMMUNITY TOURS SIAN KA'AN, Mexico