G.E.CO MAYA

When it comes to ecotourism, you may know that many tour companies use the label but are offering adventure tours, not ecotours. G.E.CO MAYA is different. Grupo Ecológico Para La Conservación Maya is a group of five biologists who are passionate about their message: for them ecotourism is not just travel, it is a way of life.

Juan Carlos Fuentes, Julio Gio, Reina Gutiérrez, Kumen Lira, and Nestor Pech work as a team dedicated to the land and the culture of Yucatán. One of the ways they do this is to act as environmental consultants to government and the private sector, conducting studies and research as needed. They assist with the creation of environmental legislation, and can also assist those who wish to build a home or business in a way that is friendly to the environment.

G.E.CO MAYA also organizes trips and educational tours in the Yucatán. They know the reality when it comes to nature and culture in this area. They promote sustainable tourism in their itineraries and teach their guests how to conserve the biodiversity of the environment. They are familiar with the diversity that this region has to offer.

G.E.CO MAYA wants their clients to leave with a bigger vision than when they started their trip. A tour of cenotes, for example, is designed to show you why the cenote is important and why to conserve it, not just to show you the cenote and let you swim in it. The importance of the cenote in Mayan culture is also explained. The experts at G.E.CO MAYA will provide you with contact with the Mayan people and their point of view.

Because the tours are customized, you have more flexibility than standard itineraries offered by other companies. True, innovative ecotourism is the primary purpose of every trip. Just because a company takes you in a kayak does not mean you are experiencing an ecotour. This company is truly devoted to teaching and understanding. Whether you are interested in reefs, mangroves, forest, cenotes, animals, vegetation, diving, caves, or dunes, G.E.CO MAYA will provide you with an outstanding experience.

Their tours are designed for small groups, ideally up to 6 people, in order to minimize impact both physically and culturally. Methods of transportation are also chosen to make as little impact as possible. Activities are controlled, yet designed to offer the most complete experience possible. The goal is to promote awareness of conservation through tourism. Although they specialize in Yucatán itineraries, they are also able to design tours in other areas of México.

Another way which G.E.CO MAYA makes use of its expertise is to offer seminars for those who are involved in the ecotourism industry. By sharing their knowledge and expertise, they help the industry as a whole offer better quality trips.

One of the most important factors you will learn more about is the relationship between nature and Mayan culture. You will also be aware of ecosystems throughout your trip.

Another activity G.E.CO MAYA participates in is the rescue of vegetation when roads are being constructed. They go in and take samples of all the varieties of vegetation which are present on the construction site, and bring them to a nursery where they germinate and grow. Six months to a year later, they return the species to their original site. This way, native flora is protected and can thrive. In fact, G.E.CO MAYA can even organize special tours which take members on rescue missions of flora and fauna.

If ecotourism really interests you, there is no better way to experience it than with G.E.CO MAYA. Visit their website at www.gecomaya.com