Conde Nast Traveler belives in the world made local, and that stories should be told by, not about a community. (de)tour, or deconstructing tourism seeks to deconstruct modern-day tourism and promote ethical exploration by pulling back the curtain on (overly) popular tourist destinations and highlighting the local people/organizations finding innovative solutions. We know that people will continue visiting these sought after destinations, so lets help them visit the right way.
Each format-driven, docu-style episode features real locals and residents and dive into the nuanced relationship that their highly trafficked communities have with the tourism industry—while also highlighting small businesses and activities that provide a deeper, more enriching and locally beneficial experience. Most importantly, our prospective traveler-viewers can arm themselves with the knowledge of a local community, coming away from the series with the tools to usher in a new era of sustainable travel.
Tulum’s infrastructure, environment and policy have struggled to keep up with its swift transformation from a hippie spiritual retreat to mainstream tourist destination. From a sleepy town on the Maya Riviera to a hub packed with travelers and influencers from the beaches of Cancún that trek down the coast in search of yoga, spirituality, chic “eco-lodges”, and parties — soon to be further strained by the opening of a coastal train line and international airport.
With local hosts Juan Canul and Karla Acevedo, we discover how much of the town is still disconnected from the power grid and proper water treatment lines, often relying on diesel generators and potable water trucks to support the strain of millions of annual visitors. We visit UNESCO protected Sian Ka’an Biosphere south of Tulum to understand what's at stake through the beauty of its pristine nature and then highlight properties that Canul and Acevedo believe to be the industry leaders to understand the challenges of infrastructure and how they are course-correcting.
In our last segment, we meet cultural hosts that are a part of Maya Ka’an, a new lens of tourism away from the beaches that allows visitors to learn more about the Mayan land they’re visiting. Karla and Juan close the video by highlighting responsible research that ensures tourists who visit use their dollars responsibly, supporting businesses that are connected to infrastructure and minimize their impact.
Launched editorially on Conde Nast Traveler's Youtube and O&O, the video exceeded editorial historic channel performance and sparked conversation around eithical tourism in Tulum.