There’s more good news from Tourism Tianguis 2006. Mexico Tourism
Secretary Rodolfo Elizondo and Mexico Tourism Board CEO Magdalena
Carral have signed a letter of intent with the representatives of
the World Heritage Alliance to jointly promote and preserve
Mexico’s 25 World Heritage sites.
The country’s governmental tourism entities have joined the
founding members of the World Heritage Alliance, Expedia, Inc. and
the United Nations Foundation to educate travelers and the travel
industry about the importance of responsible tourism and World
Heritage conservation.
It also encourages community-based sustainable tourism
development in and around World Heritage sites, and promotes these
sites globally.
According to Elizando, the country has long recognized the
importance of preserving and promoting its valuable historic,
environmental and cultural treasures. “Mexico has invested
resources to conserve its World Heritage sites, create tourism
services and generate more jobs for local communities,” he
remarked. “This alliance is an important step in continuing our
efforts to ensure that the world’s future generations can also
enjoy Mexico’s World Heritage sites.”
The World Heritage Alliance will implement three main strategies
to achieve its goal. As part of the agreement, World Heritage
Alliance workers will train Expedia staff and travel partners in
Mexico to help promote World Heritage and responsible tourism to
travelers.
World Heritage Alliance staff will also work closely with local
tourism businesses around Sian Ka’an to provide tools and resources
to help them better prepare for increased tourism. The
knowledge-sharing program between Expedia, Inc. and Sian Ka’an also
includes sustainable tour opportunities provided by Community Tours
Sian Ka’an, a local Mayan-owned sustainable tourism
cooperative.
Expedia.com is launching a new World Heritage vacation package
to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve on the Yucatan Peninsula’s
eastern coast. As with Expedia.com’s other World Heritage trips,
profits from the Mexico destinations will be donated to the Friends
of World Heritage Fund at the United Nations Foundation.
Mexico is ranked first in the Americas and eighth worldwide in
UNESCO sites, a distinction given to places of historical, cultural
and natural relevance to the world. The country’s islands and
protected areas in the Gulf of Baja California are the most recent
addition to the country’s impressive list.
www.expedia.com/worldheritage
http://whc.unesco.org
www.siankaantours.org
