Diciembre 2016
El Isleño - Página 13
III Forum on Sustainable Tourism in San Andres
A possible longing? The academic agenda scheduled for the Third Forum “Sustainable Tourism in Small Islands’ was fulfilled, convened by the Vice Ministry of Tourism and the National Tourism Fund (Fontur). There were successful experiences of countries such as Mexico and Costa Rica in the field of tourism innovation and protection of the resource. (Editor)
to enjoy the sea and the beach”.
The Mexicans Rebeca Sanchez, representative of the international program ‘Blue Flag’ and Miguel Gonzalez, director of promotion of Jalisco (State of this Central American country), presented the experience of how to develop sustainability and accessibility to beaches with a growing flow of visitors.
Diving in wheelchair
The first, mentioned the standards within the Blue Flag program will develop in the certification of beaches to be deserving of this distinction such as the quality of water, management and environmental education, security, among others. This case and the Cuastecomates (a system of beaches located in the bay between the Port of Manzanilla and Puerto Vallarta) prone by a touristic destination “for the enjoyment of all”; this includes the people with reduced mobility, blind, colorblind. “An inclusive tourism without losing the autonomy of many of these people with some kind of disability”. Acoustic signals of depth, ‘chairs’, amphibious furniture, special rescue team, walkers of wood, as well as equipping baths and showers, incorporation of Braille language; are some of the innovative elements that define this Mexican bay as “the first inclusive town and beach of the Pacific to enable people with disabilities
Attendees were pleasantly surprised with the activity of diving in wheelchair, another well striking attraction in this so-called the ‘Mexican Riviera’. Both experiences agreed that it is absolutely necessary to exercise authority in both locals and visitors that go contrary to the regulations of the destination and that the change of conduct part from the host community to reflect on those arriving. Encourage the sense of belonging is fundamental: “If you do not know your home, you cannot love and therefore cannot protect”, added the exhibitor Sánchez. The load capacity in Coco Island For its part the Costa Rican rapporteur, Geiner Golfin, spoke from his experience as director of the Coco Island National Park, a destination island to 532 kms of the ‘tico’ territory. It has counted as certain measures that have allowed the island to preserve their oceanic portion as it did 200 years ago, hosting nearly 2600 species of flora and fauna. Actions of protection and control with special regulations at the natio-
nal level, an entrance fee of $50, prohibition of the accommodations for tourists (must remain in the vessels that carry them) and respect their estimated load capacity of 60 divers a day in several of the dive sites. A different vision would be submitted with the cases of the national destinations Playa Blanca and Baru (in the department of Bolivar) where the entry of tourists has overflowed, there is no public services or bathrooms and where the problems of prostitution and drugs are showing up. The great dilemma of San Andres In hours of the afternoon, the panel “The great dilemma of sustainability: quantity vs quality’, brought together guests with different approaches such as Sara Garcia, secretary of tourism; Durcy Stephens director of Coralina; Paula Cortés national president of Anato; Juan Enrique Archbold of Procolombia and Jorge Sanchez of the Foundation Help 2 Oceans. During the panel the issues such as the increase of the touristic card to enter the island of San Andres, the type of visitor who is coming to the archipelago is highlighted , and it is possible to combine the pair quantity and quality in the provision of the service. Unanimously Panelists, each from its specialty concluded that it is possible to offer a good qua-
lity service under certain standards that must be very clear in the destination that is visited and that the higher rate for the admission to the islands, starting from the month of May of this year was a decrease in the arrival of visitors and that the flow of visits remains stable in a destination where the ‘low season’ it seems not appear to exist. However, Jorge Sanchez and Durcy Stephens, added that the pattern to control the mass influx of tourists must go through a transition phase where the course is not economic but rather a cost / environmental benefit, endorsed with studies and actions to mitigate the pressure on certain attractions places of San Andres. Sustainable delights The Forum, culminated with the presentation of the Colombian chef Charlie Otero and his experiences of typical kitchens in Coqui and Nuqui (both populations of Chocó). According to what was stated by the head chef in the diversification there is the key to success in the touristic affair and added that the ancestral culinary knowledge have enormous potential. “It is necessary to make city before making tourism, know the house and show the best it has; if it is the gastronomic, let’s sell it as product!”, concluded Otero.