Presentation: Curious about what community-based tourism is and the benefits and challenges of running this type of project? We will introduce how community-based tourism has developed around the world, and its potential in alleviating rural poverty, strengthening conservation and diminishing migration. Representatives of the Pueblos Mancomunados project in Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte will describe their experience in developing a community-based tourism project and share information on how to participate.

Presenters:

Linda Farthing is a writer and educator with 30 years’ experience in Latin America as a study abroad director, film field producer, journalist and independent scholar. She is the co-author of four books on Bolivia and has reported for The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Americas Quarterly and Latino USA, and is a contributing editor to the North American Congress on Latin America and Latin American Perspectives.

Angelina Martínez Pérez has a BA in Tourism Administration, as well as diplomas in indigenous leadership and community enterprise management. Since 2011, she has led Sierra Norte Expediciones, which is the tourist arm of the Pueblos Mancomunados, one of the most successful community tourism enterprises in Mexico. She has worked as a community tourism consultant all over Oaxaca, in the Yucatan, and in the state of Mexico.

Gaudencio (Gau) Yesko is from La Neveria, Pueblos Mancomunados. He has worked for decades with his communities in strengthening agriculture and participating in community assemblies to solve local problems. In the course of completing various cargos (community service obligations), he was involved in creating local community-based tourism in 1999. He is a certified naturalist guide and herbalist, as well as in sustainable development particularly in both modern and traditional organic agriculture.