Riviera Nayarit, Mexico - The Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) together with the Banderas Bay Hotel and Motel Association (AHMBB) recently launched a new communications and donations campaign inspired by the Paralelo 28 initiative.

The campaign, dubbed Se Buscan Héroes ("Looking for Heroes"), seeks to help preserve five Natural Protected Areas (ANP by its acronym in Spanish) in the northeastern Mexican Pacific, including the Islas Marietas.

"This is very important for us because the Islas Marietas are our icon, so we're working together with the State Government per governor Roberto Sandoval and with the support of our local tourism businesses and hotels in order to preserve the islands and the income they generate for the region," commented Riviera Nayarit CVB Managing Director, Marc Murphy.

In order to drive conservation, surveillance and sustainable use of our oceans and their natural resources, we invite businesses, fishermen, service providers, tourists and the citizens at large to lend a hand. The website for donations is sebuscanheroes.com.

Among the NGOs that are a part of Paralelo 28 are Pronatura Noroeste, Red de Observadores Ciudadanos de La Paz, Sociedad de Historia Natural Niparajá, and Eco-Alianza de Loreto.

The five Natural Protected Areas in Mexico are: the Islas Marietas in the Riviera Nayarit; Loreto; the Cabo Pulmo National Park and Paz Bay in Baja California Sur; and the Bay of Angels in Baja California.

This endeavor includes local and regional campaigns in traditional and social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The campaign also includes brand activations such as machines selling stuffed toys in the shape of endangered species animals, stamp books, donation urns, auctions, airlines, restaurants, hotels, etc.

During the December 17th press conference at the Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, tour operator Vallarta Adventures registered the first donation for $300,000 pesos.

The Riviera Nayarit CVB and the AHMBB are driving the initiative and are promoting it in order to incentivize donations through urns at more than 70 of the Destination's events, a golf tournament, distribution of information during tours, FAM trips and more to spread the word beyond the country's borders.

The hotels that have joined the campaign promotion to date include: Grand Velas, Villa Group, Vallarta Gardens, Paradise Village and Four Seasons. More hotels and tourism service companies are expected to join.