Emphasizing the importance of eliminating plastic for truly sustainable tourism

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Carlos Peguero, says that from MITUR there is a clear vision to face that challenge Making Pedernales a truly sustained tourist destination, with programs as punctual as the elimination of plastic is a priority of the Ministry of Tourism, assured its deputy minister Carlos Peguero. Participating in the 8th edition of the Sustainable & Social Tourism Summit, Peguero detailed the sustainability strategy for Pedernales, stressing the importance of attracting investors committed to the environment.

During his presentation, the Vice Minister of Tourism for International Cooperation explained the process, supported by Caribe Circular, to develop policies to prohibit or, when not possible, reduce to a minimum the amount of plastics in Pedernales, a destination that will have a great impact on the economy of the entire Deep South.

Peguero also highlighted the role of institutions such as the Fideicomiso Pro-Pedernales in the creation of guidelines for companies in the sector, tourists and local inhabitants, promoting awareness and culture regarding plastics and the circular economy.

The Sustainable & Social Tourism Summit is the most important sustainable and social tourism event in Ibero-America and this eighth version was held with a discussion entitled “Towards a Plastic-Free Tourism”. Its objective is to obtain perspectives on the problem of plastic in the industry from the perspective of the private sector and tourist destinations and to explore effective solutions to combat this challenge.

The discussion placed special emphasis on the Less Plastic Guide (GMP), developed by the Caribe Circular project. The discussion “Towards a Plastic-Free Tourism” highlighted the importance of collaboration between the private sector and public policies to address the challenge of plastics in tourism. The implementation of the Less Plastic Guide and sustainable strategies in destinations such as Huatulco and Pedernales are inspiring examples of how it is possible to move towards a more sustainable and conscious future.

In addition to Peguero, the activity was attended, among other personalities, by Angélica Angón, director of Secrets Hotels and Dreams Huatulco. Angón emphasized the efforts made based on the diagnosis of the Guía Menos Plástico, which despite the challenges of maintaining high quality standards in their hotels, have implemented specific actions to reduce or eliminate plastic waste.

He highlighted how tourism destinations model the actions of the private sector from the territory, highlighting the richness of the Oaxaca Coast and the commitment of Dreams and Secrets hotels to sustainability and the protection of natural resources.

To close, Vicente Ferreyra, director of Sustentur and VP of Sustainable Tourism, Sustainable & Social Tourism Summit, reflected on the importance of the topic from a global policy and local context. Ferreyra invited the sector to make a determined effort to move towards plastic-free tourism, stressing the need for a collective commitment to achieve a significant impact.