Ecotourism and the reserve


Ecotourism is of vital social and economic importance to Kaxil Kiuic and its neighbors in the Puuc. Kiuic and the surrounding communities are conscious of the value and dangers of tourism in this unique and fragile ecosystem. A goal of Kaxil Kiuic is to integrate ecotourism into the larger organizational mission of "preservation through education and research." Because of Kaxil Kiuic's focus on maintaining the integrity of the Reserve and its research and education programs, ecotourists will find Kiuic an exciting and worthwhile destination.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) has developed a set of guidelines and principles endorsed by Kaxil Kiuic. The definition of ecotourism offered by TIES is clear and simple.

Ecotourism is "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves and improves the well-being of local people."

TIES principles state that to be considered ecotourism, tourist practices must:

• Minimize impact
• Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect
• Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts
• Provide direct financial benefits for conservation
• Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people
• Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate
• Support international human rights and labor agreements

The members of Kaxil Kiuic believe TIES principles must be adhered to in order to practice responsible ecotourism. This means that individuals and organizations that bring tourism to the Reserve or surrounding areas must base their activities on these principles.

Realistically, we recognize the difficulty is not in articulating principles, but in systematically putting them into practice in an effective and successful manner that is clear to all parties involved. We are presently in the early stages of developing an ecotourism plan. Plans for ecotourism rarely address all of the TIES principles. Our plan will include mechanisms to insure adherence to the principles, to regulate the scale and intensity of tourism in the Reserve and surrounding areas, and to facilitate low impact, quality interaction between Reserve staff, local communities, and visitors.

We do not think that large-scale tourism is a viable option for Kaxil Kiuic, because of the fragile nature of the biological and cultural systems, as well as the research and educational goals of Kaxil Kiuic. The Reserve's relative isolation permits us to develop ecotourism slowly and deliberately. However, the same wave of tourist development that has destroyed so much of the natural and archaeological resources of the Yucatan Peninsula and created flawed programs of tourism that alienate and disenfranchise the Yucatec Maya from their culture is working its way towards the center of the Peninsula. It is our goal to offer an alternative developmental structure based on true sustainable ecotourism, through working with local communities, Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and state, federal, and international agencies. This structure must support local communities culturally and economically while protecting the natural and cultural resources of the region.

Kaxil Kiuic is presently working with the state-owned, NGO-operated Hacienda Tabi in order to develop an ecotourism corridor. The goal is to develop the archaeological site of Kiuic (within the guidelines of INAH) as an alternative tourist experience, one where the archaeology is explicitly embedded in and connected to the larger ecosystem. The site will serve as a "living museum," offering a high level of educational content on the ancient Maya, the work of archaeologists, the natural environment, and the relationship between the past and present.

Our initial ecotourism efforts are focused on supporting local, state, and international educational programs. The Reserve is not open currently to the general public. If you or your group is interested in visiting the Reserve, please contact our offices and discuss arranging a private visit. We are offering limited short-term guided visits that will allow visitors an opportunity to experience the biocultural resources of the Reserve and the surrounding region. We consider Kaxil Kiuic a reserve without boundaries.

With the completion of the Research and Learning Center, Kaxil Kiuic will offer a limited number of visitors the opportunity to spend multiple days at the site. The ecotourism experience that is being developed around the archaeological site of Kiuic and the Helen Moyers Biocultural Reserve will be unlike anyother project in the region.