Travel Advisors Selling Adventures in Mexico (TASAM) Facebook Group Launched

Over recent decades, travelers have sought more active, meaningful and immersive travel experiences.  At the same time, overtourism became a serious problem, with too many visitors flocking to popular places.  The global pandemic greatly accelerated these trends.  

Mexico is ideally positioned to attract travellers who want to avoid overtourism hotspots in favour of sustainable lesser-known tourism destinations.  Unfortunately, the country is not capitalising on the tourism trends, as Antonio de Rosal, Coordinator of ATMEX, notes in his article Tourist Renaissance.  It continues to be seen as a cheap party destination, with only four resort areas receiving the most visitors.  Rosal points to the closure of the Tourism Promotion Council of Mexico (CPTM) five years ago and the absence of a cohesive country-level adventure travel strategy. 

Rosal writes that ATMEX has been working with industry players, such as the 2024 ATMEX host states of Michoacan and Quintana Roo, to fill the gaps at the national level. Their strategy fosters close cooperation and coordination between state and municipal authorities and the private sector, which Rosal believes is the best approach to adventure travel development.

The recently launched Travel Advisors Selling Adventures in Mexico (TASAM) Facebook group is a private-sector initiative that supports the efforts of ATMEX and its partners.  TASAM’s founder is Judy Karwacki of Jubilee Travel and Small Planet Consulting, a veteran travel agency owner and sustainable tourism consultant. Ethel Hansen Davey of Uniglobe Enterprise Travel, an experienced and well-known travel advisor with a special love for Mexico, assists with managing the group.  Judy and Ethel have attended most of the twelve events organized by AMTEX, and both are keenly aware that adventure travel has not achieved its potential in Mexico.  When they attended ATMEX Guanajuato in 2022, they also learned how the Covid pandemic and the vacuum left by the closure of CPTM are negatively affecting adventure tourism development, especially for smaller states and adventure travel enterprises.  

TASAM aims to encourage the growth of sustainable adventure travel in Mexico. It helps travel advisors and other professionals, including the media, promote and sell adventure travel by sharing curated articles, education, insights, industry events and tips about adventure travel.  State tourism organizations are invited to join and share information about their destinations.  Group members are encouraged to share knowledge and provide advice to each other. 

TASAM uses the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s (ATTA) definition, which sees adventure travel as a sustainable form of tourism that supports the conservation of nature and historical resources while supporting local, community-driven economic development.  Community development is a strong motivation behind the launch of TASAM.  

Two other long-time adventure travel professionals who specialize in Mexico are also assisting with the TASAM group.  Mike Vondruska’s tour company, Go Now Adventures, offers exploration itineraries for curious and adventurous travelers to Mexico.  Consuelo Miller is an experienced travel business development manager, educator and travel advisor. 

To join ATMEX, please visit www.facebook.com/groups/tasmexat.