Staff Interview with Maya Mitre Anaya

Explain the Human Connections mission and how you continue to work toward achieving it.

Our mission is to increase empathy across cultures and strengthen communities through responsible travel experiences. I start by being an informed, empathetic, and responsible traveler with my actions and how I influence each community that I visit, as well as when I guide the tours. I motivate the participants to do the same, while I encourage our artisan partners to feel more and more proud for their talents and artwork.

Describe a typical day at work.

I call the partners of Human Connections to plan and organize with them the experiences for the visitors, listen to their experiences about the tours, and learn about their sales. Also, I realize how they have impacted visitors from around the world. 

What are some current projects you are working on?

Creating a long term impact plan for our partners through our monthly partner meetings, since at Human Connections our impact is two-fold. We seek to empower our local partners, as well as influence our international visitors.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Without a doubt the cultural tours. When both our artisan partners and visitors feel as one more person visiting a friend at home, having a casual chat learning about each other, without language barrier or privileges, while challenging their stereotypes and assumptions.

How do you use your education and international background in your current role?

I have a degree in Tourism Administration and I’ve been working in the tourism industry for seven years, so now I perfectly understand how the tourism has substantial impacts on communities and environment. My recent studies in territoriality, human rights, indigenous peoples, international cooperation, cultural rights, and megaprojects is the perfect fit for my position, so I can understand better the way the visitors travel and and how important are our artisan partners knowledge and wisdom for our community, México, and the International community.  

What makes Human Connections special?

Human Connections is genuine, created by people for people. My organization is based on a dream and the hope of changing the way of doing tourism in Mexico, valuing the dignity of both residents and visitors, promoting the intercultural dialogue and mutual learning.

Why should someone choose Human Connections over other tourism organizations in Mexico?

Human Connections is the only responsible tourism organization that offers tours and promotes intercultural dialogue between visitors and residents in Bucerías, México.

What do you hope participants take away from your tours?

Each tour I hope our participants get a feeling of having been in the home of their Mexican friends, learning, and sharing with them, learning about how rich, diverse, and vibrant the Mexican culture is.

What questions do participants often ask you, and how do you typically respond?

What does my payment include? The tours include transportation, a guide/translator, a meal, and fair compensation to the partners we visit for their time. It is a part of our mission of responsible tourism to fairly pay our partners and to support local entrepreneurship. 

Why do you do what you do?

I think every day that I should positively impact with each step I take, the families with whom we collaborate inspire me with their stories and talents, with their knowledge and techniques that they have learned ancestrally. It inspires me to contribute to change perspectives and stereotypes that the world might have about Mexicans. I do what I do because I think the way we do tourism in Mexico must change, with more respect, dignity, and responsibility.

Who inspires your work most?

The people who get up every morning very early to get their merchandise ready and sell their handicrafts, how amazing are the stories behind each entrepreneur and their families in Bucerías.

What hopes do you have for the future for your organization?

Be an inspiration for other organizations or companies that are dedicated to tourism to do things differently with a social and sustainable approach.

What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?

Enjoy traveling with the naturalness of being yourself and you can learn from others that you might meet on your way. Be respectful, responsible, and empathetic. Leaving our comfort zone is sometimes difficult, but freeing fear and exploring other cultures will leave us great learning, as well as memories and people that will inspire our lives

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

Meaningful travel represents for me a unique experience, which makes me travel with humility and respect, open and ready to take something, no matter what it is or whoever it is. This is something that will stay with me forever.