Responsible tourism in Central America

"Rigoberta Menchú Tum was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 in recognition of her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation work based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples in her native Guatemala. She is the first indigenous person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize." - Nobel Women's Initiative

Read the quote above and wonder about the fact that this is the first indigenous person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Rigoberta Menchú Tum fought to protect not just a handful of small communities, but millions of people, given that indigenous groups make up 60% of the population in Guatemala. Yet, there are two main reasons why tourists are drawn to Central American countries. One is wildlife, the other is ancient history and archeology. Costa Rica has been the leader in this regard, with Mexico coming in second, thanks to it being the birthplace of the ecotourism movement in the 1980's. However, cultural heritage and, in particular, the indigenous populations, often don't feature on tourism itineraries, or they are given a tokenistic nod here and there, without any time for tourists to get their heads around some of the issues raised by tourism within indigenous communities. Communities that are not only vast, but of vast importance, historically, environmentally and culturally. These communities are the real treasures of Central America.

In Mexico, there are 60 different indigenous groups alone, the most prolific being Nahuatl, Yucatec (Maya), Zapotec and MIxtec. For most, nature, earth and landscape are the pillars of their belief systems, and being stewards of the earth is a responsibility they take seriously, something from which we can learn a wealth of knowledge. The white tailed deer, for example, is sacred for the Huichol Indians, who live in Mexico's Sierra Madre. In 1988 they were awarded the National Ecology Prize of Mexico for their work towards repopulating the Sierra Madre with their beloved creature. Repopulating habitats, and protecting vital landscapes for food, is crucial to the survival of the Huihcol Indians. What we now need to do as tourists is save the Sierra Madre region for the people who have protected it for as long as history can remember. Meanwhile, where the mountains meet the sea, on the Punta Mita coast, luxury resorts spring up quicker than the white tailed deer can run. Some open their eyes and engage with Huichol culture and others turn a blind eye. Read more at The Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and the Traditional Arts for more details.

In Guatemala, indigenous people make up more than half the population. And in Costa Rica, there are 60,000 indigenous people living in largely traditional communities in isolated, rural areas. They depend on the forests and rivers for their survival – gathering fruit, fishing and using forest materials for traditional medicines or the construction of their homes. And yet they were only given the right to vote in 1994, which has meant that until recently, they have had virtually no voice when it comes to protecting their lands, close to 40 percent of which have been handed over to mining or petroleum companies, farmers or ranchers. Places where indigenous people are now offered employment, but often of a low paid nature.

There are so many stories to tell, some of survival and strife, others of creativity and environmentalism. But what we need to remember as tourists is that not only are these communities of great interest and inspiring to be around, but by recognising and respecting them, educating ourselves about their history and culture, we are playing our part in upholding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. A declaration given in 2007 after more than two decades of negotiations between governments and indigenous peoples' representatives.



What you can do
Read up about the local communities and cultures of the country you are visiting before you travel. Minority Rights is an excellent starting point. Planeta also has a lot of information on indigenous groups in Mexico. Some indigenous groups don't seek to become involved in tourism particularly, but others do, through cultural centres or craft outlets. And there is a rapidly growing proliferation of community led tourism organisations. In Costa Rica, for example, you can check out ACTUAR (the Costa Rica Association of Community-based Rural Tourism) and ATEC (the Talamanca Association of Ecotorism and Conservation). So keep your eyes open and always talk to your tour operator about opportunities to support them. And if you do get to visit, please remember to respect cultural protocols. Don't just grab your camera and invade the place with selfies/selfish behaviour.

This is still the question on many lips – yet, given that millions of people travel through Central America happily and hassle-free every year, the fears are usually unfounded. Much of the fear is driven by those old enough to remember the violent conflicts, revolutions and guerilla warfare of the 1970s, 80s and 90s that spread throughout Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador. These all ended in the last century, yet people traveling to Central America still worry about such things. So yes, in terms of history, they were very important events and they're worth reading up on before you go but, in terms of today’s tourism, these are now countries at peace.

Violence still exists, however, mostly among rival gangs and often drug related. With most drugs being produced in South America, and many being bought in North America, the Central American isthmus is stuck in the middle: one big smugglers’ alley. And although this can be hard to police, Central American governments value the importance of tourism not only as a source of income but also as a force for peace and reconciliation and so safety is taken very seriously throughout the region when it comes to protecting tourists.

So there is a long history of violence in Central America, the layers of which many of us do not understand. But we should try to. People still fear traveling to Nicaragua, for example, but the violent revolutionary years came to a halt there as long ago as 1990. Similarly El Salvador rings alarm bells for many people, but the Civil War ended there in 1992.

So, there are troubled areas in most Central American countries. You just need to use common sense and make sure you don’t wander into them. This doesn’t mean staying in a gated tourism community. That won’t help at all. It may mean traveling with expert guides if you are going off the beaten track, but otherwise, just travel with a reasonable amount of caution. So, for example, walking around late at night isn’t recommended in capital cities such as San Salvador, San Jose, Belize City, Guatemala City, Tegucigalpa or Managua.

2017 was Mexico's deadliest year on record*, and although millions of people travel safely here every year, tourists are advised to not drive in remote areas at night.

What you can do
Look beyond your preconceptions when it comes to travel. Sometimes they might be based on events from several decades ago. Support organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that campaign for human rights issues in Central America, but also for the protection of undocumented migrants who are being deported by the US to Central American countries such as Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala where, in many cases, they are killed**. Travel with an expert tour operator that works with people locally who know the place inside out. Check with the FCO travel advice for specific updates too.

*Source TIME
**Source The Guardian newspaper

Tenille Moore, from our supplier Geodyssey, visited a Bribri community in the Talamanca Mountains. It was one of the most memorable highlights of her Costa Rica tour:
"You can take a boat up a mist-covered river right along the border with Panama to visit a Bribri community in a tiny village called Yorkin. The men are out in the banana plantations and die quite young because of their exposure to pesticides, so the women have started to open up the village to tourists to earn more money for the community. You can learn how they make the roofs out of palm fronds and how they use cocoa to produce various food products; it’s a really special insight into life in that part of the country. You just don’t get to meet the indigenous population elsewhere in Costa Rica. It’s so sensitively done and so special, it really stuck with me. You can also go on a half day trip to a Keköldi indigenous village and learn about a green iguana rehabilitation project, walk through their grounds and have a typical lunch of root vegetables with chicken baked in banana leaves. All our travelers who have done it have been delighted to meet the local people."