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STORIES OF THE PEOPLE, PLACES & PARTNERS THAT MAKE TRAVEL AND TOURISM TICK

In Cozumel, an island off the coast of Mexico, tourism has threatened the fragile reef. To prevent further damage, MARTI partnered with Cozumel Reef National Park to require a Sustainable Marine Recreation (SMR) course for tour operators who take visitors to see the reef. This course helps tour guides explain...

With real estate development growing rapidly in Quintana Roo, MARTI, the Asociación Amigos de Sian Ka’an (Spanish acronym ASK), and the Ministry of Tourism of Quintana Roo launched the Guide for Sustainable Planning, Design, and Construction in the Mexican Caribbean. Within this guide, developers can find more information about local...

MARTI helped communities expand access to wastewater treatment and education in Quintana Roo, Mexico, and Roatán, Honduras. The program provided residents with wastewater treatment hookups and educated thousands of children about the importance of proper water treatment. By providing locals with a way to treat their dirty water, MARTI successfully...

Since 2009, venomous lionfish have been invading Cozumel Reef National Park, killing native fish and scaring both locals and tourists. Mexico’s National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) quickly launched a successful campaign to get locals and tourists involved in turning the invasive species into a popular menu item. Divers...

The Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative (MARTI), the Asociación Amigos de Sian Ka’an (ASK), and Quintana Roo’s governmental authorities have worked together to integrate strict environmental criteria into the area’s Local Ecological Use Programs (POELs). When creating this criteria, groups focused heavily on protecting Quintana Roo’s freshwater resources by providing better...

Since 2015, the Torres del Paine Legacy Fund, a travel philanthropy fund established by Sustainable Travel International in partnership with the Fink Family Foundation, has provided over $6,000 in grant funding to the Municipality of Puerto Natales to install the town’s first permanent recycling system. Located in Chilean Patagonia, the city of...