En route to El Fuerte
One of the villages located along the Chepe express route is El Fuerte, and since its appointment as a Pueblo Mágico “Magic Village” in 2009, it has often been referred to as the main colonial town of western Mexico, namely due to the different tourism products which have been developed.
The town also promotes the inclusion of the farmer’s and artisan’s tourism products through tours to the May-Yore indigenous community of Capomos as a form of agritourism where emphasis is placed on the consumption of wild fruits and unique cuisine. These tours feature products including the yorimuni, a bean that is only produced in the northern Sinaloa region during the rainy season, in addition to the preparation and tasting of herbs such as acacia and cactus tisanas.
Its cultural and natural resources allow it to develop a rural, historical, anthropological and ecotouristic experience and to position itself within the ecotourism circuit of Mar de Cortés-Barrancas del Cobre. Additionally, El Fuerte is renowned for their unique celebration of Holy Week across seven indigenous ceremonial centers.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Strategies to preserve an indigenous culture
El Fuerte is committed to the conservation and promotion of the Mayo Yoreme indigenous culture.
Emphasis is placed on the preservation of the Mayo Yoreme language, through the “Nest of Languages” programme of the Autonomous Indigenous University of Mexico, which has benefited more than 250 children.
El Fuerte is also the headquarters of the office of the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples, which has a regional presence that, in addition to supporting indigenous peoples in various aspects of their daily life, supports them in carrying out activities linked to the tourism sector.
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Giving credits where credits are due
Through the Ministry of Economy of the State of Sinaloa, in coordination with the Department of Economic Development of the municipality of El Fuerte, credits have been implemented that benefit the population, resulting in an improvement in the overall quality life of the villagers.
The tourism sector has experienced positive change as a result of these credits, as they have been used to improve the tourist infrastructure of the Pueblo Mágico “Magic Village”.
For example, the Sinaloa Ministry of Economy grants business financing funds for hotels and restaurants of up to $75,000.
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Catering to those with disabilities
An increasing number of public and private institutions have become aware of the need to care for people with disabilities, make public places accessible, and ensure that their needs can be catered for across a range of activities. Implementing such measures would promote El Fuerte’s visibility as an inclusive destination. The municipality has introduced ramps for people with disabilities around the Plaza de Armas, in addition to braille code in the main monuments for the use of blind or the visually impaired.
Other initiatives which have been implemented to improve accessibility for travellers with specific needs include: a tourist transport system with ramps for people with limited mobility, a parking lot designated for people with disabilities and a passenger train with seats reserved for people with disabilities, pregnant ladies and the elderly.
