Destinations: Mayan Adventures in Guatemala
by Bill Eagle

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If your clients expect beach resorts with buffets and free drinks, Guatemala will not fit the bill for them. Instead, you should consider this destination as an option for your more adventurous customers who have already visited Mexico and the Caribbean with an eye now for a more authentic experience. (Also, it's a great recommendation for travelers seeking exposure to Latin America's history and heritage or with any eye for ancient cultures.)

Groups like Maya Adventures (www.maya-adventures.com) can organize FIT or group packages to introduce your clients to this region. When you select operators for Guatemala trips, ask them for client and agent references (and remember travel insurance!).

Peten (Guatemala's largest province) will be the centerpiece of many Guatemalan adventures. It's home to the 16-year-old Maya Biosphere Reserve, a 2.5-million-acre space filled with tropical rainforest and many Mesoamerican archaeological sites. As you can tell from the name, this reserve is a wonder-filled stop for bird watchers and ecotourists. (It sits alongside similar conservation reserves in Mexico and Belize, so your clients can hit all three areas in one trip if they wish.)

While sites in Peten such as the Mayan city of Tikal will draw the Indiana Jones wannabes in your client database, other history buffs will appreciate stepping back into Spanish colonial days in cities like Antigua (founded in 1543).

Near Antigua, you'll find the Western Highlands stretching to the Mexican border -- a mountainous region that's home to Guatemala's indigenous people who still speak their own languages descended from the Mayan civilization.

Your clients may begin their Guatemalan adventures by flying into Guatemala City, but there's little reason to stay there for long. Plan your clients' trips so that they'll be exploring the countryside (away from the rundown capital) as quickly as possible.

For more ideas on travel in Guatemala, visit www.visitguatemala.com, the country's official tourism site.