The Caribbean - Rainforest Alliance · five-minute boat ride from your point of arrival on Flores Island. Comfortable double rooms, each with private bath and private entrance, await

The Caribbean

Guatemala

Costa Rica

Galapagos, Ecuador

3Certified Tourism Products in the Americas: An Exciting and Responsible Travel Choice!

Sustainable

Tourism...

The mission of this Network is to promote sustainable tourism

in the region through the strengthening of tourism initiatives

based on mutual respect and recognition, joint efforts,

harmonization (balancing) of systems and the sharing of

information and experience.

Network objectives include the establishment of common

work tools among network members and a joint marketing

strategy, the generation of a set of "best management

practices" for sustainable tourism based on existing regionally

and nationally accepted standards, and the definition of

strategies to promote the participation of tourism operations,

focused on small-scale operations, to implement best practices

and certification processes.

The network is the point of reference for all sustainable

tourism certification in the Americas. Its initiatives are known

within the market, have credibility and create conservation

benefits for local communities while generating competition

within the tourism industry.

Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas

4 Certified Tourism Products in the Americas: An Exciting and Responsible Travel Choice!

Responsible

Travel

Responsible travel is travel with a purpose. When choosing

destinations, accommodations and tour operators, consider which

ones work to protect the environment and benefit local cultures and

communities.

By choosing responsible travel, you can have the fabulous vacation

that you've dreamed of, while ensuring that your dollars are

benefiting the environment and the local people at your destination.

Anyone can be a responsible traveler!. You can get back to nature,

or bathe in luxury…hike into the rainforest, or explore the

city…stay close to home, or travel to the exotic location of your

dreams. Responsible travel provides many options, and it is often

very affordable.

Have you heard of the AAA or 5-star rating systems? These long-

standing labels judge hotel quality and services. Over the last

decade, many “green” certification programs have been created.

These use independent auditors to rate the environmental and social

impacts of hotels (or other tourism businesses). They help travelers

to make responsible choices. A growing number of companies have

earned eco-labels. We encourage you to patronize those that have.

What is responsible travel?

Who travels responsibly?

What is certification?


Guatemala


Guatemala

Guatemala is the Northern most country in Central America

bordering to the North with México, to the East with Belize, the

Caribbean Sea, Honduras and El Salvador, to the South with the

Pacific Ocean and to the West with Mexico.

Guatemala is a small country with much contrast and tradition,

where the magic, color and adventure are not only seen but also

felt deep inside. Traditions, color, crafts and Maya relics are

framed by the natural landscapes of this country, where living

culture is a testament to a Maya past, the pride of everyone in

Guatemala and Central America.

This country is blessed by a mild climate where extremes of hot

and cold are virtually non-existent, the reason why it is known as

the Land of Eternal Spring.

Guatemala is an unsurpassable, unprecedented land that unites

living culture, archaeology, Maya and Spanish Colonial heritage,

modern buildings, nature, Caribbean warmth and Pacific

beaches. Added to this beauty are Guatemala’s people, friendly

and hospitable by tradition.

This is the land of the Maya Spirit, of noble and warm hearts that

welcome its guests with a friendly smile. Learn about us, and

then come and visit Guatemala, Soul of the Earth!

Guatemala


Guatemala

Escuela de Español Bio Itzá BugaMama Restaurant

Bio Itzá is a Spanish school that is located in San José, Petén. Our missionis to teach Spanish to our students through our highly trained staff, whoare natives of San José and descendants of the Maya Itzá. At Bio Itzá youwill not only learn Spanish, you will also learn about the fascinatingculture of our region.

Additionally, students can participate in extracurricular activities and staywith a family of the community, while enjoying the cultural exchange andlocal food of San José.

Pueblo de San José, Petén, GuatemalaPhone: (502) 7928-8142 • Fax: (502) 7928-8056.

E-mail: [email protected]

LOCATION: Approximately 15 minutes away from SantaElena, Petén International airport

Sustainability Level: 4

BugaMama Restaurant, located next to Livingston's Central Park, formspart of the Sustainable Tourism School of Asociación Ak' Tenamit, aMayan NGO serving Mayan communities located around four protectedareas in the Rio Dulce region. The restaurant specializes in fresh seafoodand vegetarian dishes.

It's known for serving the best Tapado, a traditional Garifuna soup ofseafood and coconut milk, in the entire region. It enjoys an impressiveview of the Rio Dulce river and is located next to a visitors center and afair-trade handicrafts shop. The added value is that 100% of profits aredonated to social programs serving rural Mayan villages.

Río Dulce, GuatemalaPhone: (502)7842-5497 or 7947-0891E-mail: [email protected]

www.aktenamit.org

LOCATION: Approximately 4.5 hours away from GuatemalaCity Airport



Guatemala

Capitan Tortuga Grill Restaurant La Casa de Don David

Without any doubt Capitan Tortuga Grill Restaurant is a special placelocated at the banks of Lake Petén Itzá, from where you can enjoyimpressive sunsets.

We offer national and international food, pizza and in the bar we havedelicious margaritas, piña coladas and other drinks that refresh your thirst.We also offer our great Guatemalan coffee, chicken in cream, vegetarianshish-kebab, bar-b-q ribs, and sea food and, of course, pastas, pizzas andsalads are the best in this delicious restaurant.

Flores, Petén, GuatemalaPhone: (502) 7926-0346 / 7926-0247 / 7926-3225

E-mail:[email protected]

LOCATION: Approximately 15 minutes away from SantaElena, Petén internacional airport


This hotel & restaurant is no doubt one of the best values for food andlodging in the Tikal area. Located on Lake Petén Itzá in the village of ElRemate, just 15 minutes before reaching Tikal National Park, this is agood base location for all activities in the Petén area. The hotel has 15modern rooms with private hot-water baths and fans. All rooms have avaranda and hammock or sitting area. The restaurant overlooks a largebotanical garden and Lake Petén Itzá, and serves distinctive Guatemalandishes, international food, specializing in desserts.

The hotel offers variety of tours, daily boat trips, horseback riding, andjungle walks; bus service to Belize, Chetumal, Palenque Mexico, Cobanand Guatemala City. Staff speaks English and Spanish. This is one of themost popular hotels in the area and is the only one with Internet serviceand emergency generator electricity.

Flores, Petén, GuatemalaPhone: (502) 7929-8469 / 5306-2190E-mail: [email protected]

www.lacasadedondavid.com

LOCATION: Approximately 20 minutes away from SantaElena, Peten airport

Sustainability Level: 4 ROOMS: 15

Certified Tourism Products in the Americas: An Exciting and Responsible Travel Choice! 41

Guatemala

Casa Zapote & Iwana Tours Takalik Abaj

Welcome to our home and guesthouse, Casa Zapote, is located on ahillside in San Miguel Petén overlooking beautiful Lake Petén Itzá, just afive-minute boat ride from your point of arrival on Flores Island.Comfortable double rooms, each with private bath and private entrance,await you on arrival.

Shady, tropical plants and comfortable open spaces surround these rooms.They are the perfect place to bird watch, relax, read a book, or becomeacquainted with the many plants that are used in traditional healing.

San Miguel, Petén, GuatemalaPhones: (502) 7926-1463 / 5514-5592E-mail: [email protected]

www.guatemalatikal.com

LOCATION: Approximately five minutes boat ride from SantaElena Peten International Airport


In the 9th terrace of the archaeological site of Takalik Abaj, you will have theopportunity to spend a wonderful vacation in a Mayan style resort, where everysuite is a unique interpretation of the Takalik Abaj´s important figures. Everysingle suite is located in the mountains and constructed with supplies which arefound in the region and made by craftsmen of the area. Every suite is unique, tomake your stay in the Cacique Resort a wonderful one.

You will have the opportunity to feel nature in all its splendour, as well as to hearthe rain in the mountains, and smell the wet land and perceive different sounds ofthe fauna of the region, mostly birds and small mammals. Here you will get tounderstand the meaning of this unique and remarkable country as “Guatemala”which means “place of the forest land”.

This is a magic place where meditating is the key to find yourself with history andnature itself. It is certainly an experience that you will always remember.

RetalhueluPhones: (502) 2337-0037 / 5216-1047

Fax: (502) 2337-0036E- mail: [email protected]

www.takalik.com

LOCATION: Approximately 190 kilometers fromGuatemala City



Guatemala

Mijaro, Restaurantes Hotel y Restaurante El Peregrino

At the Mijaro restaurant, delight yourself with delicious traditionaldishes, vegetarian food and a variety of meats. You will be served by ourfriendly staff, who will give you the best service. Enjoy a friendly quietatmosphere, as is our cultural environment.

Mijaro Restaurantes, simply the best in town.

Santa Elena, Peten, GuatemalaPhone: (502) 7926 -1615 / 7926-3729

LOCATION: Approximately 10 minutes away from SantaElena, Peten internacional airport


For approximately 10 years our restaurant was known as “ComedorLucky”. But due to our affection of the flora and fauna of Guatemala, wedecided to change the name to “Hotel y Restaurante El Peregrino”. Thiswas in honour of the Peregrine falcon, which is an endangered speciesand was once found abundantly in the Mayan jungle.

The objective of naming our hotel and restaurant this way is to createawareness in all the inhabitants of Flores, where we are located, and theworld of the importance of preserving our forests which are the home tothe Peregrine falcons and many more species which, at the time, arethreatened to become extinct, if we do not prevent it.

Ciudad Flores Petén, Guatemala.Phone: (502) 7296 -0477 • Telefax: (502) 7926-0972

E-mail: [email protected] • [email protected]

LOCATION: Approximately 10 minutes away from SantaElena, Peten Internacional Airport



Guatemala

Yahxá Lagoon Ecolodge El Sombrero Explore Tour Operador

“We invite you to get to know the wisdom of the Mayan Civilization in… ElSombrero in the middle of the Maya Forest”.

The ecological camp El Sombrero is located in the middle of the MayanBiosphere Reserve, in the biological area of Mesoamerica, near the banks of lakeYaxhá.

In El Sombrero you will find a great variety of ecological and cultural attractions.

Besides our beautiful rooms reflecting local architecture, we also count on arestaurant where you can see the sunset on the banks of Lake Yaxhá, and at thesame time enjoy yourself with delicious dish.

We offer customized tours to the different attractions. We have a boat, horses andspecialized guides.

Petén, GuatemalaPhones: (502) 7861-1687 / 88 & 91

E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]

LOCATION: Approximately one hour drive from Santa ElenaPeten International Airport


We are a tour operator that covers the heart of the Maya World, Petén.

We offer these regular tours:One day visits: -Guaranteed everyday to Ceibal, Tikal and Yaxhá-Two days, one night visits: -Ceibal and Aguateca-Three days, two night visits: -Ceibal, Dos Pilas and Aguateca-

We have our own boats to explore the Pasión and Usumacinta rivers. Weoffer tours to all of the eco-touristic destinations in the area, supported incertain cases through services provided by communities within the MayaBiosphere Reserve.

Santa Elena, Petén, GuatemalaTel: (502) 7926-2375 / 7926-3970

Fax: (502) 7926-0550 • Cel: (502) 5411-5275 / 5203-8472E mail: [email protected] • [email protected]

www.exploreguate.com

LOCATION: Approximately 10 minutes away from SantaElena, Peten International Airport



Guatemala

Hotel Ecológico Salvador Gaviota Hotel La Casa de Don Ismael

Natural Confort In Livingston IzabalHotel Ecológico Salvador Gaviota is located in the coast of theGuatemalan Caribbean Sea in front of a stunning white sanded beach. Weoffer you our bar and restaurant services with the customary dishes of thearea and national and international drinks. We have rooms with a privatebathroom, rooms with a shared bathroom and bungalows, starting at $ 6per person. (Prices may vary depending on the season.)

We also offer tours to the different tourism places like Playa Blanca, RíoDulce, Punta de Manabique, and others. You can also visit the altars thatare just 30 minutes away from the hotel walking distance along the beach.

Livingston, IzabalPhones: (502) 5514-3275 / 5514-3272

Fax: (502) 7947-0874E-mail: [email protected]

LOCATION: Approximately 4.5 hours away from GuatemalaCity airport


Hotel La Casa de Don Ismael is a small house with a familiar atmosphere,located just two blocks from the park and a block and a half from themarket place where handicrafts are sold in Antigua Guatemala. It hasseven cozy rooms that will make you feel at home. It has three collectivebathrooms with warm water.

In the mornings you will be able to delight yourselves with our appetizingbreakfasts in our garden surrounded by tropical flowers of the region or ifyou prefer in our terrace, where you will have an amazing view to someof the volcanoes such as the Agua, Acatenango and Fuego. Also, ourpersonnel will gladly give you information of the different tours availableand the many interesting and historic places you can visit.

HOTEL LA CASA DE DON ISMAEL: “AN IDEAL PLACE TO REST”.

Antigua GuatemalaPhone: (502) 7832-1932


LOCATION: Approximately 45 minutes away from GuatemalaCity airport



Guatemala

Hotel Maya Internacional Hotel Villa Los Arcos

For more than 30 years, Hotel Maya Internacional has been the gatewayto the Mayan World. Located only 5 minutes from Flores InternationalAirport, and strategically situated on the shores of the Petén Itzá Lake,just in front of the charming Flores Island.

Its 25 rooms with thatched roof and balcony to enjoy the lake's breeze,offer you all the comfort that you expect after a day of adventure in thejungle and its beautiful archaeological sites.

The center of Hotel Maya Internacional,is a big rounded ranch, where youcan enjoy the restaurant with its excellent dishes of the Guatemalan andinternational cuisine, or simply enjoy a refreshing drink at the, by thelake's shores and it's swimming pool.

Flores, Petén, GuatemalaPhone: (502) 7926-2083 • Fax: (502) 7926-0087

www.villasdeguatemala.com

LOCATION: Approximately 5 minutes away from Santa Elena,Peten Internacional Airport


Located in Santa Elena De la Cruz, Flores, Petén, known to be the CradleOf The Maya Civilization, Green Paradise. Our proximity to the new busterminal allows you to be on your way to many expeditions toarcheological and natural sites of your interest in no time.

Hotel Villa Los Arcos has double and triple rooms with T.V, A/C, privatebath, environmental and ecological parking.

Santa Elena. Petén, GuatemalaPhone: (502) 7926-2290 • Fax: (502) 7926-2291


LOCATION: Approximately 10 minutes away from SantaElena, Peten International Airport



Guatemala

Jaguar Inn Rio Mopan Lodge

Jaguar Inn…within the Tikal National Park, a peaceful place to spend thenight surrounded by the jungle, and to wake up to the sound of howlermonkeys and the sing song of birds. (The temples are 1 km. from thehotel.) Sunrise or sunset above the splendid Maya temples, everything isat your reach… you will have an unforgettable experience!.

We have confortable bungalows with private bath and an excellentrestaurant.

Flores, Petén, GuatemalaPhone: (502) 7926-0002 • Fax: (502) 7926-2413


LOCATION: Approximately 50 minutes away from SantaElena, Peten airport


Rio Mopan Lodge is located in Melchor de Mencos 50 meters from theGuatemalan Immigration Office at the Guatemala/Belize border. Our lodge is theperfect place to start your jungle expedition while enjoying the beauty of the RioMopan. The area around Melchor de Mencos has much to offer with some of themost natural geographic beauty of the region. Many of the recent discoveries inMayan archeology have been made in our area. Here you will have theopportunity to be part of the cutting edge of excavation into the underworld of theMayas. But you can relax as well. Within five minutes you are alone on the riverin the jungle, within 20 minutes you can experience whitewater rafting, canoeingor tubing. We have 10 rooms with river view, private bathrooms, hot water andfan. Our lodge also offers European style cooking and our rates are veryreasonable.

We offer tours everyday designed especially to fill the needs and interests of ourclients. We operate excursions with connections to Mexico, Belize andGuatemala, focusing on birdwatching, natural history, archeology and localculture.

Melchor de Mencos, Petén, Guatemala.Phone: (502) 7926-5196 • Fax: (502) 7926-5067


LOCATION: Approximately one hour drive from Santa ElenaPeten International Airport



Guatemala

Hotel Palacio Chico Posada El Delfin

Hotel Palacio Chico is located in the middle of Antigua Guatemala; it isnear all the monuments, parks and museums, giving the tourist a familiarenvironment near all their activities. In our hotel you can find historybecause it was designed and built by the Spanish Architect Luis Díaz deNavarro in 1,754. It was a structural part of Palacio de los CapitanesGenerales, and important people and royal delegations used it for lodging.In this special environment in our exclusive 7 rooms your will feel athome.

All our rooms have private bathroom, hot water all day and they includea continental or a typical breakfast on Sundays. You can also enjoy thenice and colonial garden. You may also enjoy Antigua and its surroundings in one of our tour-guided packages, that have been thought specially for you.





We welcome you to Posada El Delfin. This 4-star hotel opened on January1, 2003. It is located in the remote fishing village of Livingston, Izabal onthe eastern coast of Guatemala, C.A. This vacation hideaway is situatedon the mouth of the Rio Dulce ("Sweet River") facing the Caribbean Sea,just 45 minutes by boat from the southern tip of Belize.

Posada El Delfin offers 24 beautiful rooms, executive suites and ahoneymoon suite with a private balcony, sixteen double rooms located onthe first and second floors of the south wing, three executive suiteslocated on the first and second floor of the north wing and onehoneymoon suite located on the second floor at the end of the pier.

Livingston, IzabalPhones: (502) 7947-0694 / 7947-0056 • Fax: 7947-0011


LOCATION: Approximately 4.5 hours away from GuatemalaCity airport



Guatemala

Ram Tzul Restaurante La Taquiza

Ran Tzul is a private ecological reserve, which consists of a very bigextension of land that is part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor,and is formed by the Ram Tzul biotope of the Quetzal, Cerro Verde andSierra de las Minas.

The central building (the restaurant) is known to be the biggestconstruction made of bamboo in Central America. The ecological reserveoffers lodging and the restaurant offers international dishes as well astypical dishes of the region. It also invites every visitor to take a walk andget to know more about nature and enjoy our extraordinary forest.

Ruta a las VerapacesPhone: (502) 5908-4066 / 2335-1805

Fax: (502) 2335-1802E-mail: [email protected]

LOCATION: Approximately four hours drive from GuatemalaCity


We welcome you all to la Taquiza's Restaurant that specializes in creolefood, as well as in the typical plates of the region which consist of beefstew, chicken with special sauce and guacamole.

It also offers a nice garden with a fountain which gives it a special touchto enjoy your favorite dish.






Green

Deal

Green Deal

The Green Deal sustainable tourism certification program

provides an independent and objective audit system to all tourism

operations, based on guidelines that have all minimum

requirements to execute responsible tourism practices.

The Green Deal program is a third party voluntary certification

program, which endorses the certified tourism operation in the

international markets, not only as an operation that offers quality

services, but also as an operation that offers tourism activities

that cause very low impact in its surroundings.

It is a program that seeks to categorize and certify each tourism

company according to the degree to which its operations comply

with a model of sustainability. To this effect, four fundamental

aspects are evaluated:

• Environmental parameters

• Quality

• Socio-economic environment

• Cultural area

For each and every one of these items a list of specific questions

was designed to help evaluate how thoroughly the firm complies

with a series of standards previously established for the social,

environmental and economics fields. Each and every one of the

questions refers to an element of sustainability with which the

firm should comply in order to qualify in any one of the different

stages or levels of fulfillment, which for our purposes we have

labeled "levels". The final rating will be assigned to the company

in question according to the lowest level achieved in any of the

four fields evaluated.

To measure and fix these different levels, the Green Deal

program provides a system of "sustainability levels"", on a scale

of 1 to 5, in which each number indicates the relative position of

the operation in terms of sustainability. This scheme provides a

way to classify the tourist firms in terms of "levels”. No

operation can be certified if it is evaluated with a 1 or 2 level.

The program is presently certifying tour operators and travel

agencies, community projects, hotels and restaurants. The

program has certified 22 tourism operations in Guatemala.

Asociación Alianza VerdePhonefax: (502) 7926-0718 / 5979-0448

www.greendeal.orgCastillo de Arizmendi, Parque Central de Ciudad Flores, Petén.

Guatemala

Documents

The Caribbean - Rainforest Alliance · five-minute boat ride from your point of arrival on Flores Island. Comfortable double rooms, each with private bath and private entrance, await