The word eco-tourism is much in vogue these days, yet it was a concept that was literally ‘invented’ barely two and a half decades back in a region of southern Mexico. While the world debates on sustainability in Paris, the Yucatan peninsula can safely bask in the glory of completing its own silver jubilee of celebrating sustainability. In the 1980s, Cancun used to be the major budget tourist attraction in Mexico, yet many Americans got disillusioned by the fact that it was turning into another Miami. One Mexican Miguel Quintana Pali along with three others, stumbled upon a piece of land towards the north of Tulum in the Yucatan where they developed their own sort of eco-tourism destination. The term itself was coined by another Mexican named Hector Ceballos Lascurain. While a number of traditional environmentalists were displeased at this concept, it was eventually realized that they had to work in tandem with the tourism industry in order to derive maximum benefits. This place was then named as Xcaret and today is a popular yet sustainable tourism destination that has generated numerous tourism jobs.Tremendous natural beauty is combined with heritage protection to ensure this place remains a top destination.