Quintana Roo’s Hidden Ecotourism Gems Await

Kantunilkín, Mexico — The municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas possesses significant ecotourism potential, with communities such as Pacchen, Tres Reyes, Nuevo Durango, Nuevo Xcan, Cedral, Cinco Cenotes de Kantunilkín, Solferino, and El Corchal, declared the Director of Municipal Ecotourism, Felipe de Jesús Dzib Dzul, today.

The municipal official specified that they are working with the different cooperatives that administer these centers to reach agreements with tour operators, as one of the disadvantages they face is the long distances that must be covered to reach the areas designated for this purpose.

“The communities that are active have craft zones; we are supporting them in the promotion of their destinations to boost their activities,” he emphasized.

He commented that, following the instruction of Municipal President Nivardo Mena Villanueva, they are focused on increasing the number of visitors, as this will bring economic benefits for the families of the community. Furthermore, ecotourism can be a viable strategy for sustainable development, generating important revenue with low impact.

Additionally, it plays a fundamental role in conserving local traditions and the environment, since the fundamental attraction of the places in Lázaro Cárdenas is to showcase their landscapes, gastronomy, and values that differentiate the area from cities and sun-and-beach destinations.

Dzib Dzul acknowledged that with the limited resources available to the municipality, it is not enough to encompass international promotion as is the case with Holbox. Therefore, he urged the other two levels of government to contribute to the development of at least 14 communities in Lázaro Cárdenas that have this ecotourism vocation, which will allow them to improve the quality of life for their inhabitants.

“The creation of specific tourism guides for enjoying nature and culture in a sustainable manner or the promotion of the indigenous worldview are some of the solutions we have contributed to overcome these challenges and promote conservation; logically, with the help of educational institutions such as the Unicaribe and the University of Quintana Roo,” concluded the interviewee.