Call for applications open until December 10, 2026
Your business and the Mesoamerican Reef share the same future
Does your hotel or beach club need to improve how it manages wastewater, energy, waste or sargassum, but you’re not sure where to start, how much it would cost or how to finance it?
MAR+Invest Hospitality helps you review your operations, finances and environmental performance to turn those challenges into a concrete project, with costs, benefits and a clear path to implementation.
No participation fee for selected businesses.
The reef contributes nearly USD 3.9 billion a year to tourism in the region. Taking care of it means taking care of your business.
Who is it for?
Small and medium-sized hotels, boutique resorts and beach clubs operating in Quintana Roo (Mexico), Belize, Guatemala or Honduras.
We’re looking for businesses that:
- Are actively operating, with annual revenue of at least USD 60,000 or the equivalent in local currency.
- Want to strengthen their business and finances while implementing environmental improvements in their operations.
You don’t need an environmental strategy or a defined project. You just need to know where you’d like to improve.
Where can your operation improve?
Water · Wastewater · Energy and emissions · Waste · Sargassum · Infrastructure · Operational processes
These challenges may already be affecting your operation. Managing them better can reduce costs, improve your guests’ experience and protect the environment that makes your destination attractive.
How does it work?
Phase 1 · Planning
8 weeks · March 31 to May 31, 2027 · Virtual · Approximately 4 hours per week
Up to 30 businesses take part in hands-on workshops with experts in tourism, business, finance and sustainability to review their operations, choose a priority and turn it into a concrete project.
Connect with businesses that have already implemented environmental improvements and meet providers offering innovative solutions available in your region.
Phase 2 · Implementation
4 months · mid-June to mid-October 2027 · Approximately 3 hours per week
10 selected businesses will receive personalized one-on-one support to put their project into action, measure results and build a plan to sustain the improvement over time. When relevant, they will also receive support to prepare for and explore financing opportunities.
Includes an in-person learning and exchange trip, fully funded by the program.
Benefits of joining MAR+Invest Hospitality
- Training, mentoring and technical assistance at no cost for selected businesses.
- Certificate of participation for the business and for the participant.
- Recognition seal for hotels that implement their project.
- Visibility on regenerative and sustainable tourism platforms.
- Greater readiness for national and international tourism certifications.
- Potential connection to financing opportunities through Viwala (participation does not imply or guarantee access to financing).
What past MAR+Invest participants say
"One of the best acceleration programs we have taken part in — the impact focus was outstanding, the quality of the mentors was incredible, and the New Ventures team was supportive, brilliant, and inspiring."
"What I take away from the program are the contacts, the redefinition of the business model […]
and the establishment of a marketing strategy."
Application process
Apply with your hotel, boutique resort or beach club
Starting your application takes 5 minutes.
- By December 10, 2026 · Initial form (5 min): basic information about your business.
- Follow-up form (20 min): if you meet the requirements, we’ll email it to you so we can better understand your operation and needs.
- January 2027 · Interview: a 30-minute conversation with shortlisted businesses.
- February 2027 · Selection: notification and paperwork to formalize participation.
For more information, see the Terms of Reference.
Questions? Contact Manuela Mina: manuela.mina@nvgroup.org
Strengthen your operations, prioritize investments and contribute to the resilience of the Mesoamerican Reef.
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MAR+Invest is an initiative launched in 2022 with the support of the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR). It is implemented through a partnership between the Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund), the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN), Sureste Sostenible, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People (HRHP), New Ventures, and Viwala.
The initiative mobilizes private capital for businesses that generate positive impacts for the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) and its coastal communities, fostering innovative solutions and reducing investment risks.
