And more importantly, what IS sustainable tourism? Let’s start there. Wikipedia defines it this way:
“Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves.”
There is a lot to talk about in those two sentences. Today let’s take the first concept, making a low impact on the environment.
HACIENDA SAN LUCAS
Consider Hacienda San Lucas in Honduras. A leader in eco-tourism in Honduras, Hacienda San Lucas honors the ancient Maya surroundings as well as the patrimony of the hacienda.
Owned by the same family for over 100 years, the hacienda became an eco-lodge in 2000. Visitors have access to 300 acres of pristine tropical forest which include the ruin site Los Sapos (the Toads) and many excavated ruins. Los Sapos is considered an important ceremonial site for ancient Maya.
Its location overlooks the expansive Copan valley and the Mayan ruins . Yoga retreats are held throughout the year in a specially built pavilion that takes advantage of the view.
Restoration on the hacienda was done by hand to original design using only local materials, techniques, and labor. Even the expansion of visitor rooms and kitchen (they are well known for delicious fare) was designed to preserve the authenticity of the original structure. Special attention was given to the design based on the analysis of an archaeologist from the Institute of History and Anthropology, who worked for several months to ensure that the proposed design would not desecrate or destroy any buried Maya structures.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Hacienda San Lucas has eight distinctive rooms, 2 double beds each, with private bath, hot water, solar lighting, and ceiling fans. The beds are hand-crafted from local cedar and have firm comfortable mattresses. The rooms are decorated with local fabrics and tapestries.
RESTAURANT
Well known for inspired cuisine, the owner/chef Flavia and her helpers create fabulous meals using traditional methods with a modern flair. Food is prepared in a rustic open kitchen which turns out five-course dinners with panache, or outdoors in a traditional Mayan oven. . South American wines and locally-grown coffees accompany meals. Delicious hardy country breakfasts are included in the price of the room.
With their commitment to honoring their past, living lightly today and preserving the area for the future, Hacienda San Lucas is a wonderful example of how making a low impact on the environment can work to enhance the experience of visitors.
