Most tour operators say your money “supports local communities.” Almost none show you how. So here is ours, in plain figures and plain words: where your tour money actually goes when you book directly with a Maya cooperative in Sian Ka’an.
First: What You Pay
A full-day experience is $2,980–$3,380 MXN per adult, plus a booking fee at checkout and the federal entry fee of roughly $225 MXN paid separately on arrival. The entry fee post explains that last one in detail — it never touches our accounts.
Where It Goes
The guides, captains and cooks. The largest share. These are cooperative members, not seasonal contractors, and the work is paid year-round rather than only in high season.
Operations. Boats, motors, fuel, life vests, kayaks, maintenance, insurance, permits. Marine equipment in salt water is a permanent expense.
The kitchen. The traditional lunch is cooked by women of the community with ingredients bought locally — the money leaves the tour and enters the village economy the same week.
Conservation and compliance. Monitoring, training, certification audits, wastewater treatment and waste management — the practices described in our Good Travel Seal post.
Reinvestment. Whatever remains is decided in assembly: equipment, training, the children’s birding programme, emergency support for families.
What Does Not Happen
There is no external owner taking a margin out of the region. There are no shareholders in another country. When you book through a platform or a hotel desk, a real percentage leaves before it ever reaches Muyil — which is the single practical reason we ask people to book direct.
Why a Cooperative Is Different From “Employing Locals”
Employment gives wages. Ownership gives decisions. Our members vote on prices, schedules, investments and who joins. That structure is what Mexico formally recognised in its 2026 community-based tourism decree, and it is the reason a bad decision hurts the people who made it — a strong incentive for good ones.
How to Check Anyone Else
Ask three questions of any operator, anywhere: who owns this, where does the money go, and who verified your claims? Vague answers about “giving back” without an independent audit are the tell. More on that in ecotourism vs regenerative tourism.
Meet the Community Behind the Tour
In just two minutes, discover who we are — the Maya families and cooperative members who make every experience authentic and regenerative:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is booking directly cheaper?
The price is generally the same or better, and the difference is that the full value stays with the cooperative instead of being split with a reseller.
How many families depend on Community Tours Sian Ka’an?
More than 100 families are part of the cooperative, working as guides, boat captains, cooks and administrators.
Does any of my payment go to conservation?
Yes, through operational conservation work and certification compliance — and separately through the federal entry fee, which goes directly to the reserve.
Spend a Day Where the Money Stays
Book your experience in Sian Ka’an directly with the cooperative.
Questions? Contact us at reservacionesctsk@siankaantours.com.mx or WhatsApp +52 984 114 0750