d4d lab
Xyaat Community Tourism
Project
Cooperativa Xyaat is an ecotourism cooperative that creates culturally and environmentally responsible community tours and educational programs. Xyaat’s distance from major tourist attractions – 1.5 hours from Valladolid and Tulum, and 30 minutes from Carrillo Puerto – make it accessible for a day trip. Visiting Xyaat provides insight into daily life in rural Maya communities and interactions with practitioners of traditional handicrafts, natural medicine, and storytellers. In addition, to their community tourism efforts, Xyaat also provides education to local youth on environmental sustainability, fosters respect for Maya language and practices, promotes environmental projects, including organic farming, and mentors others in the community tourism and artisan industries.
Create an identity (logo, color palette, signage, website and printed materials) in order to help a relatively unknown cooperative community promote a controlled amount of consistent tourism. This project will aid in teaching and preserving Mayan traditions and culture while also creating a reliable source of income for the cooperative.
Create an identity (logo, color palette, signage, website and printed materials) in order to help a relatively unknown cooperative community promote a controlled amount of consistent tourism. This project will aid in teaching and preserving Mayan traditions and culture while also creating a reliable source of income for the cooperative.
•
Context
PROS
Culturally sustainable
Low-impact
Unique in region
Flexible
CONS
People leave community to work at the resorts
Lack of funding for generating new business
Unknown to tourists
Difficult to access
No tourist infrastructure
Culturally sustainable
Low-impact
Unique in region
Flexible
CONS
People leave community to work at the resorts
Lack of funding for generating new business
Unknown to tourists
Difficult to access
No tourist infrastructure
•
Approach
Part of our fieldwork included participating in the tours Xyaat offers. We conducted semi-formal interviews with community participants and drew from their central themes regarding heritage, cultural identity, and respect. Our approach was then to promote everyday interactions with residents of Señor who will share their life experiences and knowledge on a one-to-one basis. Rather than anonymous performers, potential visitors could envision the people, objects, and activities they will encounter.
•
Fieldwork Videos
•
Outcomes
Refresh of Xyaat's brand identity with an affinity to the butterfly metaphor.
Deliverables included stationery, road-side and building signage, website, and promotional materials for distribution in the region.
Key concepts and activities: co-design, slow-design, semi-structured interviews, fieldwork observation
Deliverables included stationery, road-side and building signage, website, and promotional materials for distribution in the region.
Key concepts and activities: co-design, slow-design, semi-structured interviews, fieldwork observation
•
Location
View Design 4 Development Projects in a larger map
It’s as is we’re ready to have the tourism and so you coming here and working with us has given us yet again wings to fly. You’ve given us the push that reinforces the project.”
, Founder, Xyaat
•
Project Team
DESIGNERS: Gaby Hernández, Doug Barrett, Maria Rogal, Kelly Jeck, Molly Aubry, Emily Frye, Marcela Gurdián, Kelly Skinner // XYAAT: Marcos Canté Canul, Santos Pech // CONSULTANTS: Alex Racelis, Alison Brovold
•
Related Posts
change is beautiful
An interview with Marcos Canté Canul, President of Cooperativa Xyaat in Señor, QR, México on working with D4D.
Date :14 Jan
Comment :0