Hello,
Great entry and beautiful photos. One of the things that really stands out is your positive relationship with the government. Many other entrants struggle with this. Do you have any secrets to success in this regard?
You mention that maintaining a constant flow of clients is a challenge. Have you thought of any new or creative marketing approaches? You also mention migration of skilled workers as a challenge. Is there any way that you could incentivize people to stay?
Lastly, I would love to hear more about the 8 projects that you are operating. Could you tell us more about your tours?
Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Thanks for your interest in Sierra Gorda. I think we have succeed in having the Goverment as an allie because we ground resources they have and the local communities dont have the skills to reach them, so we do that kind of "bridging", allowing process to begin and following and pushing them from the begining to the end. Also helps a lot that we have been working in the area for 20 years, so we have the confindence from local people and the govermenment, and as it is a long term commitment that gives stability. Also helps the framework of the full-size GEF project we are running, so we have build an strong partnership with the Federal Government through the Reserve´s Direction. The investment on public works with sustainability criteria in the Reserve has increased in a 762% because the matching funds for the GEF project, mostly from the three government levels.
Regarding the clients flow, as you may know most tourists go in Mexico to the beach or the southeast, so central Mexico except a few spots is poorly known, but we are making new contacts and promotion along with the Queretaro State Government Secretary of Tourism, so this for sure will be changing in the future. This gradually will permit enough clients (and work for the local beneficiaries), so the workers may not leave. The best incentive for them to stay is to have a permanent job.
Regarding the projects, they offer different atractives, so some of them are great for birdwatching (endangered and endemic species as military macaws and bearded wood-partridges among others), others for camping, hiking and enjoying a beautiful and clean river with bizarre geologic formations or just star gazing. So depending on the site they may work for groups from schools, meetings and small conferences, serious hikers, nature lovers and birders, so groups (depending on the tour) might be small or up to 50 persons (specially school groups).
Hello,
What would you say are the most innovative aspects of your approach? What makes your program unique in how it addresses tourism?
Thank you
Dana Frasz
Ashoka's Changemakers
I think ours make a difference because they are not isolated efforts. They are part a of a much bigger project wich looks to protect the local biodiversity through empowering the local inhabitants and giving them alternative tools and ways for making a living, building capacities and infraestructure. In the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, as in most protected areas in Mexico (and I guess Latin America) the local people are the owners of the ecosystems, so they depend of them for making a living. So in our project the ecolodges are property and managed by the local people, so all the profits are for them. That means we have build the capacity and framework with them in processes from the begining to the end; also means this projects have an strong community flavor, that allows you to know the rural living in Mexico´s Eastern Sierra Madre, and by the same time it gives you a chance to know the most ecodiverse protected area in Mexico, that also has an strong cultural heritage. A few years ago the five XVIII century Franciscan Missions in the area became a Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The eight sites are located in different ecosystems, so every one is quite different from each other, located in magnificent mountains.
your project sounds very interesting, when so many similar projects fail. What are your financial figures so far? Volume of tourism operations in numbers, price paid per person, financial plans... Elsewher it has been poor market access and overly ambitious financial forecasts that have sunk projects
Since the beginning we did not tried to present the projects to the local communities as a panacea to making money; they are a complement to their daily activities, and in some cases (as they are in different stages of development)have already turn in a good business for them, others are in the way. Also since the beginning was very clear for us that we did not whant debts for them, so we managed to find the right funding (government and fundations), so since the projects begin to work means fresh money coming. With debts for sure they would have failed. Good access to market and clients remain the biggest challenge. The prices are cheap compared to other projects,at least in my own experience visiting Costa Rica and comparing them with other projects, (4 USD for a full meal, 15 USD for a full day of a local guide, etc...)helping in this issue that they are the owners and managers, so the profits are directly for them and helps to maintain low costs, as there are not involved third actors, we just help pushing the process, but not looking forward for profits from the operation of the projects. Past year thre of the projects received around 500 visitors, and an income of around $50,000 USD.
As more of the facilities are getting ready to operate and became a more known and popular spot, numbers will increase, but anyway the projects are designed for small groups and pressure on nature.
Comments
Hello,
Great entry and beautiful photos. One of the things that really stands out is your positive relationship with the government. Many other entrants struggle with this. Do you have any secrets to success in this regard?
You mention that maintaining a constant flow of clients is a challenge. Have you thought of any new or creative marketing approaches? You also mention migration of skilled workers as a challenge. Is there any way that you could incentivize people to stay?
Lastly, I would love to hear more about the 8 projects that you are operating. Could you tell us more about your tours?
Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Thanks for your interest in Sierra Gorda. I think we have succeed in having the Goverment as an allie because we ground resources they have and the local communities dont have the skills to reach them, so we do that kind of "bridging", allowing process to begin and following and pushing them from the begining to the end. Also helps a lot that we have been working in the area for 20 years, so we have the confindence from local people and the govermenment, and as it is a long term commitment that gives stability. Also helps the framework of the full-size GEF project we are running, so we have build an strong partnership with the Federal Government through the Reserve´s Direction. The investment on public works with sustainability criteria in the Reserve has increased in a 762% because the matching funds for the GEF project, mostly from the three government levels.
Regarding the clients flow, as you may know most tourists go in Mexico to the beach or the southeast, so central Mexico except a few spots is poorly known, but we are making new contacts and promotion along with the Queretaro State Government Secretary of Tourism, so this for sure will be changing in the future. This gradually will permit enough clients (and work for the local beneficiaries), so the workers may not leave. The best incentive for them to stay is to have a permanent job.
Regarding the projects, they offer different atractives, so some of them are great for birdwatching (endangered and endemic species as military macaws and bearded wood-partridges among others), others for camping, hiking and enjoying a beautiful and clean river with bizarre geologic formations or just star gazing. So depending on the site they may work for groups from schools, meetings and small conferences, serious hikers, nature lovers and birders, so groups (depending on the tour) might be small or up to 50 persons (specially school groups).
I hope I answered your questions,
Sincerely,
Roberto Pedraza
Hello,
What would you say are the most innovative aspects of your approach? What makes your program unique in how it addresses tourism?
Thank you
Dana Frasz
Ashoka's Changemakers
Hola Dana,
I think ours make a difference because they are not isolated efforts. They are part a of a much bigger project wich looks to protect the local biodiversity through empowering the local inhabitants and giving them alternative tools and ways for making a living, building capacities and infraestructure. In the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, as in most protected areas in Mexico (and I guess Latin America) the local people are the owners of the ecosystems, so they depend of them for making a living. So in our project the ecolodges are property and managed by the local people, so all the profits are for them. That means we have build the capacity and framework with them in processes from the begining to the end; also means this projects have an strong community flavor, that allows you to know the rural living in Mexico´s Eastern Sierra Madre, and by the same time it gives you a chance to know the most ecodiverse protected area in Mexico, that also has an strong cultural heritage. A few years ago the five XVIII century Franciscan Missions in the area became a Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The eight sites are located in different ecosystems, so every one is quite different from each other, located in magnificent mountains.
Thanks again for your interest,
Roberto
your project sounds very interesting, when so many similar projects fail. What are your financial figures so far? Volume of tourism operations in numbers, price paid per person, financial plans... Elsewher it has been poor market access and overly ambitious financial forecasts that have sunk projects
Hola Xavier,
Since the beginning we did not tried to present the projects to the local communities as a panacea to making money; they are a complement to their daily activities, and in some cases (as they are in different stages of development)have already turn in a good business for them, others are in the way. Also since the beginning was very clear for us that we did not whant debts for them, so we managed to find the right funding (government and fundations), so since the projects begin to work means fresh money coming. With debts for sure they would have failed. Good access to market and clients remain the biggest challenge. The prices are cheap compared to other projects,at least in my own experience visiting Costa Rica and comparing them with other projects, (4 USD for a full meal, 15 USD for a full day of a local guide, etc...)helping in this issue that they are the owners and managers, so the profits are directly for them and helps to maintain low costs, as there are not involved third actors, we just help pushing the process, but not looking forward for profits from the operation of the projects. Past year thre of the projects received around 500 visitors, and an income of around $50,000 USD.
As more of the facilities are getting ready to operate and became a more known and popular spot, numbers will increase, but anyway the projects are designed for small groups and pressure on nature.
Thanks for your interest,
Roberto
Do you have any suggestions for independent travelers visiting your beautiful region of Mexico?
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