As the owner of Lawson’s, I've been immersed in the world of tourism in Yucatán for 15 years or more, and have seen and learned a great deal. I've experienced firsthand the joys and disappointments that come with any job — but especially this one, which is particularly delicate since we deal with people, not just places or attractions manufactured to simulate something "authentic" that can make us money.

For many years now, I've worked with a small Maya community near Cobá, Quintana Roo, where three families in a village far removed from mass tourism offer a magical experience of family togetherness — including incredible Yucatecan food made with local ingredients and an enormous amount of warmth and love.

In this village, children — boys and girls alike — welcome visitors alongside their parents and grandmother. These visitors are looking for something different from what the big agencies offer, and we are among the several tour operators who visit the community. The children help receive the guests and are truly delightful.

The thing is, on one visit, the parents told me about a guide from Cancún who brought a group from France and told the oldest girl — who was 9 years old at the time — that if she learned to count from 1 to 50 in French, he would give her a bicycle.

Excited by the promise, the girl studied and learned the numbers. Worth mentioning: she already speaks both Spanish and Maya. When the guide returned on a later visit and confirmed that she had met the challenge, he told her:

"Now I want you to learn the numbers from 51 to 100 in French."

Once again, energized by the promise of her bicycle, she learned what was asked of her. On the following visit she recited everything as agreed. It was then that the guide announced:

"The truth is I can't give you your bike — I don't have the money."

Can you imagine the disappointment of this little girl when she heard that? Can you imagine the sheer nerve of this individual? Her parents took it the way the Maya have taken things for centuries: another broken promise. What can you do.

I confess I was furious. I couldn't help myself. I spoke with her father and we agreed that I would buy the girl her bicycle — to try to restore her faith in humanity and show her that there are still people in this world who value her and her place in it.

On my next visit, I arrived a day before my tour with clients specifically to deliver a brand new red bike. And when I saw her reaction, I knew it was the right thing to do.

In tourism, we deal with people — people with feelings, with hopes and dreams that deserve to be respected and celebrated. This is especially true when we're talking about a population that has historically been marginalized, dismissed, and used to generate wealth for a privileged few. Those of us who, by the circumstances of our birth, have grown up in a world of privilege have an obligation — I would call it a duty — to support and uplift our less fortunate brothers and sisters, and to offer them a hand whenever the opportunity presents itself. Tourism can be a very powerful way to do exactly that.

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