At the beginning of November I had the pleasure of participating in a UNWTO Regional Course in Mexico. The objective was to help those responsible for the main natural parks in this country to improve the management of the parks and to put them on the market.
Mexico and the natural parks
Mexico is known for having a wide variety of natural parks and protected areas. Some of the best known include:
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park: This park is located in central Mexico and is known for its mountainous landscapes and for being home to a wide variety of fauna and flora.
- Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve: This reserve is located on the Yucatan Peninsula and is known for its white sand beaches and turquoise waters. It is also home to a large number of animal and plant species.
- Sierra de Organos National Park:This park is located in the state of Zacatecas and is known for its impressive rock formations and for being home to a large number of plant and animal species, such as the white-tailed deer and the gray wolf.
- Desert of the Lions National Park:This park is located in the Sierra Madre Occidental and is known for its mountainous landscapes and for being home to a large number of plant and animal species, such as the golden eagle and the white-tailed deer.
The parks of Monterrey
The Cumbres de Monterrey National Park is also located in the Sierra Madre: This park is known for its impressive views of the desert and for being home to a large number of plant and animal species, such as the gray fox and the eagle owl. Around Monterrey there is also the La Estanzuela National Park, the Cerro de la Silla Protected Natural Area and the Chipinque Ecological Park, the latter with spectacular views of the city of Monterrey.
We visited all these parks, as well as the protected area of the Obispado, where there is a museum of the history of Monterrey, which helped me to better understand the idiosyncrasy of the city and its inhabitants. Above all, regarding the Battle of Monterrey, in which Mexico ended up losing half of its territory to the USA. This part of history is not explained in Spain and I only knew it through Hollywood movies.
About the Digital Marketing course
The course was titled: "Tourism and Protected Areas: A Vision of Sustainable Management”
On the one hand, he participated Ana Baez Ana is a super expert in natural parks and protected areas, and to a large extent, the origin of Costa Rica's good position in this tourism segment. It was an honor to be her "opening act" and help the parks reach their users and thus contribute to the economic sustainability of the project... which obviously also leads to having funds for conservation and therefore also to environmental sustainability.
The training took place at the TEC de Monterrey during the first week of November 2022. Although calling it training is a huge oversimplification of what is actually carried out with the course participants. The UNWTO methodology is “learning by doing”, so our job is that of facilitators: a mix of trainer and consultant, and the final objective is for the participants to return home with a Marketing plan (in my case) under their arm, and with the necessary training to implement it.
Monterrey and Nuevo Leon
I had never been to the Monterrey area, in the state of Nuevo León (northern Mexico). It is spectacular from the point of view of nature and the preservation of fauna and flora, but it is also spectacular from the point of view of the city itself: a mega-city of 8 million inhabitants. A rich area, with work for everyone (less than 2% unemployment), with a highly developed industrial sector and manufacturing for the USA and for Mexico, but also with first-rate services: they are one of the main centers of Medical Tourism in Latin America.
Very different from the image of Mexico that I had until then. And it's not that it was a bad image, it's just that it was more folkloric. Until this trip, I had been in the Cabo area (where I went fishing after a trip I made to Los Angeles/San Diego/Las Vegas), and on another occasion, to teach some classes on Digital Marketing for destinations, also with the UNWTO, in Zacatecas (another beautiful area of Mexico).
The course went very well, as always, when people understand the potential of the Internet to market their products and services, and you show them how to do it, they become fascinated with the subject and increasingly, their vision of the Internet changes. There is always a before and after.
…and after finishing the course
Taking advantage of the fact that I was in Mexico, I was able to accept participation in a Tourism Innovation conference that was taking place in Veracruz the following week, within the framework of Expo Veracruz. Obviously, I also took advantage of the opportunity to visit this part of the country, which is very focused on beaches and Mayan ruins. I also took advantage of nature tourism. Again, it was a pleasant surprise for me.
Anyway… a trip to Mexico is 100% recommended!
Here are some links:
- Tourism of Nuevo Leon: New Leon
- Veracruz Tourism: Veracruz
- I leave you a link to the webinars, where you will find one that I gave on December 20, 2022 for the Secretary of Tourism of Mexico: A world without cookies
I hope it is useful to you
A big hug
