Cultural and Social engagement with local community through the Raicilla Project at ITESO
The Hospitality and Tourism Program is offering a PAP Project (Proyectos de Aplicacion Profesional) to develop alternatives to solve problems and needs in Mexico, specifically in the Jalisco region.
The ITESO, as a university entrusted to the Society of Jesus, guides the project based on solidarity and knowledge for critical analysis as well as looking for the construction of the public good.
During the PAP training process, the students are encouraged to do a reflective work of synthesis and integration of their learning in its multiple dimensions, which is presented in a written report, along with the evidence of the products and the results obtained from the Raicilla project.
What does Raicilla mean?
Raicilla means “small root” and it refers to a distilled beverage made from the fermentation of the sugars of the agave plant, endemic of Jalisco, Mexico.
The first distillation was in the early XVII century. It was the drink of choice for mineworkers from the mountains of the Western Coast. At the time, it was considered a prohibited drink because the production was done clandestinely.
Now, the Raicilla production is protected by Mexican law with the appellation of origin, declared in June 2019. This appellation promotes the place of extraction and elaboration of the product to be protected, considering the geographical characteristics and political divisions.
Check out the follow video to learn about Raicilla!
Local project players
The ITESO has a partnership as academic tourism program developer with the Mexican Council of Raicilla Promotion (CMPR), which is leading the development, growth, strengthening and care of the agave product system, looking for the long-term sustainable growth for the communities.
PAP tourism approach
The students are practicing their professional knowledge and competencies in the Raicilla community with the goal to present an academic project with multidisciplinary students working together to provide ideas, solutions and dialogue with the scenario mentored by the professor.
Check out the follow video to learn about What is a PAP!
The PAP experience happens after having passed 70% of the credits of the Hospitality and Tourism Program. At this point, the student has practiced information management, analysis of numerical data and written and oral communication skills.
The Raicilla project calls for the proficiencies listed above to design a proposal guided by principles such as interculturality and community development in economic, social, and environmental spheres, to launch the tourism program around:
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- Rural tourism
- Virtual Tourism
- Routes and walking trails
- Cultural festivals
- Nature tourism
- Agrotourism
- Tourism experiences
- Tabernas tour (refers to places where Raicilla is produced, they can be rustic and rural places)
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