Mexico small group holiday, culture and nature

Planet

The only hotel we use that offers any sort of sustainability is Mayaland. They say the following:
“Mayaland is highly compromised in the practice of Sustainable Tourism as pioneer in the tourism industry in Mexico. In its beginnings; it promoted the practice of the Archaeological tourism at ancient Mayan sites of the Yucatan Peninsula since 1921, mainly in Chichén Itza and Uxmal, where our Resorts are located ever since.
The company always has been using environmental resources in their properties, which constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural and cultural heritage as well as the biodiversity at the Mayaland Resorts.
Mayaland respects and works direct with the socio-cultural presence of the Mayan communities through this Direction of Cultural and Sustainable Tourism, conserving their environment and living cultural heritage and traditional values through the practice of Tourism.
Most recently, our company has been participating in programs that verified the good environmental practices such as the seal "Verified" from Rainforest Alliance to our hotels: Hotel & Bungalows Mayaland and The Lodge at Chichen Itzá, as well as participating in the World Travel Responsible Tourism Day of the World Travel Market, among many others.
We contribute to inter-cultural understanding with our communities and help them to improve their quality of life through viable and the permanent establishment of programs we coordinate with private and governmental authorities in order to support and benefit our local communities. Most of them are home base of our employees and their families.
Mayaland maintains a high level of tourist satisfaction and ensure a meaningful experience to our visitors, raising their awareness about sustainability issues and promoting responsible tourism practices in our valuable Yucatan Peninsula.”
Where possible we try and use overland travel rather than flying.

People

We hire local guides at the sites in Oaxaca, Palenque, Uxmal and Chichen Itza, rather than booking these through agents. Giving directly to the guides as opposed to the larger money making operations. We ensure that the guides are on hand to advise the passengers about where they can go on the sites and where it is best not to go to minimise erosion of the structures.
When visiting the villages of San Juan de Chamula and Zinacantan near San Christobal de las Casas we are very careful to advise the passengers on the sensitivities of the locals and the rules taking photos and where they can go as these areas are very particular about protecting their culture and heritage. We work closely with a local outfitter who is very experienced in working with tourists and these communities.