When a holiday is as sweet as cocoa

Where: Ecuador

Who: I Viaggi del Sogno

 350 women are employed in tourism

From Quito, Unesco World Heritage, to Guayaquil, town of sea, perfumes and sounds, to Andes territories, among nature and people. The ultimate appeal of this travel is the chance to meet with MCCH, one of the largest fair trade and fair cocoa production company in Ecuador. The plus is life experiencing with local communities, along with agrotourism, outdoor activities, adventure, art, traditions, cultural expressions, relaxation in natural areas. The trip, tought and organised by the italian responsible tour opeerator I Viaggi del Sogno is planned to promote culture and sustainability, fair commerce and fair tourism, carries away from the start to the last day. As a matter of fact, during the journey you will visit the first three community tourism projects initiated by the foundation MCCH, respectively located in Andes, Amazon rainforest and by the ocean. In Quinkigua, for example, you'll visit the center where people collect and process cocoa and the center where women product natural fruit juice. The inhabitants of La Laguna, cocoa plantation by the ocean offer to travelers 4 bungalows for the reception, a restaurant for 20 people, guided ecotourism, cultural events. In Bolivar, where are located Salinas (saltworks), the indigenous community is working in micro-communities to develop differently their economy (as salt mines, mills, dairies, jam factories, mushrooms production). Last but not least, in the Community of Poza Honda, travelers can have dinner and spend the evening with the inhabitants, before staying overnight in the Communitarian Tourist Center.

All sections are shown on the 13 days travel program I viaggi del sogno Ecuador .I Viaggi del Sogno (sustainable tourism tour operator) helps and supports Maquita Cushunchic Comercializamos como Hermanos (MCCH), an organization consisting of a not-for-profit foundation supporting projects throughout Ecuador and a profit unit that is mainly concerned with the export of cacao.MCCH is probably the largest Fair Trade Company in Ecuador; they have been active in creating social businesses and building a fairer society since 1985. They are setting the example in Ecuador and Latin America. I Viaggi del Sogno planned and organized this journey to discover lives and realities behind fair product and economy: this journey won the first prize in "World Tourism Expo - Unesco sites and cities 2010 / section Tour Operators"

Maquita Cushunchic Comercializamos como Hermanos (MCCH) is an organisation consisting of a not-for-profit foundation supporting projects throughout Ecuador and a profit unit that is mainly concerned with the export of cacao. MCCH has been working in a programme for cacao in Los Ríos, Guayas, Manabí and Esmeraldas provinces since 1990, which resulted in the creation of a cooperation of 33 cacao producing organisations in 2003. Currently MCCH manages around 4% of the total cacao export of Ecuador. The project aims to improve the sales of cacao by strengthening the cacao cooperatives and convert them into business-oriented fair-trade cooperatives. MCCH is probably the largest Fair Trade company in Ecuador, they have been active in creating social businesses and building a fairer society since 1985. They are setting the example in Ecuador and Latin America.

The Foundation is a real community development landmark: 124.000 families, 12.000 women and 18.000 men. Women working within MCCH and related associations are almost 9.000. About 512 are occupied in tourism, 7.000 in cocoa production, 350 in handicraft, 589 in farming industry, 806 in Andean products. Accommodations receive 350 women working in 20 organizations spread across 4 provinces.

Info:

www.iviaggidelsogno.it

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