Vanilla-Tours - "Our contribution"

Educational Features
Vanilla-Tours already has an initiative approved by the Zoque indigenous community and the Mexican tourism government officials to create an educational workshop on sustainable practices focused on and for indigenous communities. One of the distinctive approaches of this workshop is that it will be created in a storytelling and visual interpretation to make it easy to comprehend for local indigenous communities that are far away from the Western educational system and the cultural barriers involved. Vanilla-Tours has already created and prepared an outline by the guidance of a profesional team, contributions & alliances.

The Zoque indigenous community from Chimalpa Tabasco is totally conscious of the need of education on the tourism subject, since without training and funds their product (that is the rational use of their land and service to their community in this jurisdiction), they would not be able to compete fairly & successfully within the parameters that sustainable tourism marks and the standards of quality of the international marketplace. They have expressed that their future as a community, their culture and land- territory that is located into the tropical rain forest will be uncertain if they don’t take action in this matter. The Zoque community is receptive to education and they confirm they are ready to continue this process

Vanilla-Tours Canada in Expo Turismo Tianguis Acapulco 05
Vanilla-Tours has succeeded in uniting the three ministers of tourism of the provinces of Veracruz, Tabasco & Campeche to hear and express great interest in a presentation that points out the benefits of supporting sustainable tourism and the best practices to their region. We proposed a list of possible approaches to this development.
In addition we pointed that this provinces has a huge potential as they are and we encourage the “Local Pride of Origin” as successful strategy campaign.
We proposed a different way of marketing where local communities are involved and are part of the attraction. We presented a viable, attractive and savvy strategy campaign.

Vanilla-Tours Canada in Expo Turismo Tianguis Acapulco 06
We presented a formal and specific proposal to the minister of the Veracruz province to present and support eco-tourism of the region for the North American market . He has agreed to move toward our approach to promote sustainable certification to each of the products or services in the tourist region in collaboration with international and national charities & nonprofit organizations that will monitor the best practices.
Vanilla-Tours has joined the representative of the Zoque indigenous community to officially certify the educational program in Sustainable Tourism & best practices with the Tabasco government officials

Vanilla-Tours Canada invited by the AMTAVE to Expo Aventura Ecoturismo 06
Vanilla-Tours was invited to represent Canada in a round table where the theme was Eco-tourism & International Marketing We proposed to the AMTAVE Asociacion Mexicana de Turismo de Aventura y Ecoturismo and members of the different tourism organizations, entrepreneurs and representatives of indigenous communities, appropriate ways to market & promote their product in line with international quality standards. We had the opportunity to make clear the benefits of incorporating “Green Certifications” into their product or service and talked about the trend towards local products and pride of origin. Vanilla-Tours gave a presentation of our product marketed as “Mystic Gulf” to give an example of how this industry should be marketed and the importance of coordinating efforts to improve the eco-tourism industry.

As a priority we highlighted the importance of indigenous communities to the right development and sustainability in the ecotourism field. We pointed that this segment of the population has to be incorporated with the support of the business community and government. Eco-tourism is a great opportunity to them to insure the protection and survival of their culture since they are legitimate owners of part of the rainforest that is left in the Mexican nation.
Vanilla-Tours is positioned as a company specializing in Rural & Eco-tourism among the AMTAVE members, various tourism providers and government.
At Expo Aventura Ecoturismo the Mexican province of Veracruz agreed to create an entity, organization or department specialized in alternative-tourism strategies in combination with the Visitors & Conventions Bureau and the Asociacion Veracruzana de Turismo Alternativo.

Baxter Publications Canada
Vanilla-Tours has been recgonized by Baxter Publication as promoters to sustainable tourism and best practices in Mexican destinations.

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Mystic Gulf Article '04

Veracruz Article '05