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 By Lydia Linton Pontius
Having been a CEA volunteer and
supporter for about 10 years now, I have known Laura for almost as
long, it was so much fun to spend time with Laura and learn more
about her. I was aware of many of her accolades such as, she is the
Chair of the Board of Directors for Centro Ecologico Akumal, her
father was the founder and she is the owner of Hotel Akumal Caribe,
Lol-Ha Restaurants and Chomak. She is the founder of the Pablo Bush
Romero Scholarship Fund, and is a staunch
animal lover and supporter of all things that are for the betterment
of Akumal. She has also made a sound commitment to make her business
Eco-friendly. A wonderful
person and a role-model to many. I am sure you will enjoy this
interview.
What are your first memories of
Akumal?
Arriving on the Cielito, a very slow
motor/sail boat from Cozumel after 5-6 hours on board and being met
by Don Pepe Tun, the caretaker of the coconut plantation. We would
stay under an open air palapa in hammocks and Dona Saturnina, Pepe
Tun’s wife would cook fresh lobster, and fish for us. She always
made fresh tortillas and everything was cooked over a wood fire in
their palapa. I loved it because they always had either a monkey, or
a tejon or a parrot around, never in a cage.
 What was it like in Akumal as a
child?
Akumal was my personal playground. It was full of adventure, nature
at it’s best. The diving was amazing, we saw many nurse sharks,
barracuda, large reef fish and lobster were abundant, even inside the
bay. My stays in Akumal were always during school holidays, and we
got to know whoever was in Akumal. It felt very familiar.
What adjustments did you have to
make?
I always felt it was normal to be in Akumal. It never crossed my mind
that it should be any different. We went without many comforts, but
it never bothered us. It only became an issue once I came back to
Akumal to live and work. Doing business in such an isolated place was
tough.
What are some your favorite
memories?
Meeting people my age that went to visit Akumal with their families,
and being their personal tour guides, going diving together, hanging
out on the beach, taking our meals together, bonfires and guitar
playing at night.
What made you decide to move to
Akumal?
My father needed help running the operation and since I did study
Hotel and Restaurant Management I wanted to see what I could do with
what I learned at school.
 What was it like raising your
son, Ryan in Akumal?
At times lonely because we had very few other families with small
children in Akumal, but as the area grew, the school in Puerto also
grew and it no longer felt that way. It was a great place for Ryan
to grow up. The school gave him a really good base, Akumal a safe and
beautiful environment.
Do you have a favorite memory of
Ryan in Akumal?
Yes! Climbing trees, the one by the kids club, and also the sea grape
trees by my house. He loved it! He also loved our animals at our
house. Taking in stray cats, ducks, a goose, land turtles, birds.. it
was all part of the fun for him.
What makes Akumal different from
other places along the MR coast?
It’s bay is unique, the community is also unique. We retain the
flavor of the Yucatan peninsula, the original Quintana Roo. The Mayan
Riviera is now totally different from what I saw in the 60’s.
What changes have you seen?
Too many to list. Everything from the development, to the
deterioration of the reef. But not every change has been bad. Akumal
has maintained much of its flavor!
What is one of your favorite
hidden or special places to go?
I love Xcacel! I love to walk the beach and then body surf and lie on
the beach. Since there is no sign, few people go in there . My next
favorite place is Tulum beach. You can walk for miles there and it
reminds me of how things used to be.
 Is there something that has been
lost from the past?
Akumal can ever go back to being the place of my childhood but I
don’t like to feel like anything is lost, just different. I love
Akumal today , and I loved Akumal as it was when I was growing up
there.
What is your vision for the
future (Akumal and business)?
For
Akumal I hope that it will always be a community of people interested
in protecting our ecology, working together for common goals,
interested in making Akumal a unique destination, standing out from
all the other mega resorts in the area. For our business, I don’t
want to change too much of it. Upgrade when we can, provide for the
needs of our guests, attract new visitors, and hopefully keep adding
to our loyal repeat customer base that is our mainstay and our
biggest satisfaction.
What is the importance of
sustainability and what is your company doing to help?
If all developments in the area, just think about how to make the
largest return on their investment, tourism will kill the area! If we
all work on sustainable development, our biggest reward will be
providing tourists with as much of a pristine environment as we
possibly can, for many many years to come.
What is your relationship with
CEA?
My father founded what is now CEA, previously Club de Yates Akumal
Caribe. I have been on the board for at least 15 years, and President
for quite a few years. My main focus is working with the POBAK, (
Akumal’s Bay Protection Program), since this is the area I feel I
can contribute the most to, as well as feeling very strongly about
protecting this beautiful and unique bay.
To learn more about Hotel Akumal Caribe and Lol-Ha Restaurant please
visit their site.
Interview conducted November 2008.
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