An area between Puerto Morelos and Tulum would be declared the first Sustainable Tourism Development Zone (known as ZDTS by its initials in Spanish) in Mexico, with the main goal of guaranteeing a proper use of natural resources.
Mexico’s secretary of Tourism, Enrique de la Madrid Cordero, met privately with authorities and businessmen in Quintana Roo to begin the conformation of this first ZDTS in Mexico, attended by the municipal presidents of Puerto Morelos and Solidaridad, Laura Fernández Piña and Cristina Torres Gómez, respectively.
De la Madrid Cordero explained, in the interest of defining more precisely the area that will cover this zone, that the main goal of its creation will be to ensure that the natural resources are properly used for their conservation, in accordance with the established laws, with respect to the socio-cultural authenticity of the communities, which considers traditional values and architecture and guarantees the development of viable economic activities, as well as to report socio-economic benefits such as the creation of new employment sources.
In future work meetings, the planned sustainable tourism strategies will be discussed, such as the density of buildings to which this area should be adjusted, the methods of environmental conservation and preservation, and the characterization of natural resources.
Additionally, it was mentioned to involve the National Fund for Tourism Promotion (FONATUR) in order to provide maintenance for the designated zone.
Meanwhile, the secretary of Tourism of Quintana Roo, Marisol Vanegas Pérez, said that this new zone for the development of sustainable tourism in Mexico will be strengthened by the instruments of urban regulation; which are represented by the Urban Development Policy and the Ecological Ordinance Program, so these two become the basis for the sustainable development criteria that must be followed throughout the zone.
According to the Secretariat of Tourism, the ZDTS are those areas of the national territory, clearly defined and geographically delimited, which due to their natural or cultural characteristics constitute a tourist attraction. These zones will be established through a specific declaration issued by the President of the Republic, at the request of the Secretariat.
“The public policy to dictate ZDTS in geographic areas of the country is due to the need to move towards a new model of sustainable tourism development, through (...) the conservation and protection of natural, cultural and traditional elements,” as specified in the document.
