CEDO Initiates Naturarte Concept For Eco-Businesses

New Program assists and supports ecotourism enterprises in the Morua Wetlands
By Pedro Barraza ReyesIssue #452

To reinforce the projects related to ecotourism enterprises in the Morua Wetlands, the Center for Studies of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO) will start the development of a new concept, called Naturarte, a novel work plan being implemented to increase the productivity of the afore mentioned enterprises, said the investigator Alejandro Castillo of CEDO.

Naturarte is a novel concept which provides assistance to ecotourism companies with expertise in customer attention, marketing, English classes, websites, blogs and everything needed for the administration of the companies, said Castillo.

Right now the intent is that companies already operating at the Morua Wetlands - such as the kayak rental and "El Barco" (The Ship) restaurant of the Cooperativa Unica de Mujeres - can maximize profits in a short time. For that purpose the Naturarte assistance plan was implemented, directed by Francisco McManus, who has a licensee degree in Natural Resources Administration and a master's degree in Aquifer Business, said Castillo during his presentation of this new member of the Staff of CEDO.

McManus detailed his tasks in leading this project and assured that it is necessary to get maximum benefit from the 15 thousand visitors to this center in order to promote this kind of business. Creating new projects as well as promoting existing ones outside of our borders to attract new customers to those businesses - to that end they have resources close to 440,000 pesos (~$40k USD) as a fund to begin and develop this project.

The researcher pointed out that for full development of Naturarte they count on the invaluable collaboration of 20 volunteers from the University of Arizona as well as another volunteer from England who will provide support for the same concept.

All this collaboration effort will be coordinated by McManus, said Castillo, adding that all this aims to promote ecotourism by means of existing companies and new projects, as long as they are within of the guidelines of Naturarte concept, which come to aid and to enlarge the expectative of productivity for the companies located at the wetlands, he said.