Human Connections
We want you to be informed about the best place to spend your tour budget. Sure, there are plenty to choose from; sightseeing; tequila tasting; swimming with the dolphins, and the list goes on.
How about a genuine glimpse into the lives of local entrepreneurs, spending time in interior towns, decorating a piñata, tasting pure honey, and participating in food preparation?
Human Connections, a not for profit organization based in Bucerias, is not your average tour operator. Open year round under the leadership of a board of directors, a small handful of enthusiastic employees and a group of dedicated volunteers, this non-profit organization offers a unique and enriching experience. Their pledge to exemplify sustainable tourism is based on the 2002 Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism.
“We commit ourselves to work with others to take responsibility for achieving the economic, social and environmental components of responsible and sustainable tourism.”
2002 Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism
Since 2014, Human Connections has found great success in promoting responsible tourism while introducing visitors to their various partners, whose talents range from making hammocks, rugs, ceramics, jewelry and carved wood, to catering, beekeeping and farming. Both the Bucerias Cultural Tour and the Heartland Traditions Tour are interactive, giving adults and young visitors a hands on approach as artists and restaurateurs share their personal histories and showcase their expertise. Hailing from many parts of Mexico, the eighteen partner families have varied backgrounds, some having faced significant challenges including learning to speak Spanish. Marie Heim came to Human Connections as a Global Fellow and now holds the position of Administrator. “Many of our partners migrated here from all over the country to find more opportunities to sell their wares. Some spend the summer in their hometowns, creating their handmade pieces, returning with their new items for the high season. We are always looking for new partners to collaborate with to enhance the experience”.
Each reasonably priced tour includes air conditioned transportation from the office in Bucerias, bilingual guides, visits with partners in their homes or workshops and fair payment for their time and materials. You will also be treated to an authentic and delicious Mexican lunch that you may very likely assist in preparing!
Aside from day tours, Human Connections also organizes educational programs, hosting Interns
from around the globe. They specialize in customizing experiences for students whose interests may lie in sustainable development, international relations, or intercultural management, by exposing them to real life non-profit responsibilities through teamwork with local entrepreneurs.
Do you have a corporate group interested in a diverse travel option? Accommodations, itinerary, and meal plans – Human Connections does that, too.
Adults and children, singles or groups, this is an experience the discerning traveller won’t want to overlook. For details about their cultural tours and a deeper sense of what Human Connections embodies, and for further information regarding educational programs, tailored tours or volunteer opportunities, go to https://humanconnections.org
