CONCUR facilitated a two-day strategic planning meeting for the Meso American Reef Tourism Initiative. Teaming with CORAL, the CONCUR team devised the agenda and ground rules, conducted pre-workshop interviews to understand the interests and capacities of the organizations, and facilitated the deliberative meeting.

Representatives from Belize, Honduras, Mexico, and the US participated in the meeting. Participants included international and locally based NGOs as well as representatives of the hotel sector. This cross-interest, multi-sector group’s primary interest is in engaging the tourism industry to lead conservation efforts throughout the Mesoamerican region.

With CONCUR’s facilitation, the two-day meeting sharpened options for MARTI governance, including an international executive committee and rotating Secretariat and additionally generated agreement on the highest priorities for MARTI for a 3 to 5-year strategic plan.  Those priorities, which highlight water quality and destinations tourism, set the stage for future funding proposals.