Kicking Off a Continuous Learning Program: Fogo Island Inspires the East Cape

The East Cape Futures Initiative has recently launched its first webinar as part of a new continuous learning program designed to inspire regenerative development grounded in local culture, ecosystems, and community leadership.

To open the series, we welcomed Zita Cobb, founder of the renowned Fogo Island Inn and the Shorefast Foundation, for a profounddeep and moving session titled:

Community-Based Tourism on Fogo Island: An Economy of Care, Craft, and Culture

Speaking to participants from Mexico, the U.S., Canada, and beyond, Zita shared how a small island fishing community off the coast of Newfoundland became a world-recognized model for place-based economics, cultural preservation, and non-extractive tourism. She emphasized the role of dignity, local agency, and creativity in building economies that serve people and place.

Through powerful stories, she traced the evolution of the Fogo Island Inn and Shorefast Foundation from an economic development project into a living expression of cultural identity and ecological stewardship. Participants explored how this model could offer lessons for Baja California Sur, —where tourism is rapidly expanding but where local communities and ecosystems are often left out of the equation.

Zita Cobb, who grew up on Fogo Island, returned home after a successful career in the tech sector, with a bold vision: to reverse the extractive dynamics that had left her island economically and culturally vulnerable after the collapse of the cod fishery.

In 2006, she co-founded the Shorefast Foundation with her brothers to build a new model of place-based economic development rooted in cultural revival, environmental stewardship, and social enterprise.

“We’re not going to solve climate change, housing, or any of the things we need to solve, without empowered communities,” Zita said.

At the heart of this model is the Fogo Island Inn, a striking architectural landmark designed with local builders and artists. More than a hotel, it’s a community enterprise where 100% of operating surpluses are reinvested back into the island.

Results After 15+ Years:

• Dozens of year-round, well-paid jobs for local residents

• Revival of traditional crafts, boat-building, storytelling, and cuisine

• 70% of all goods and services used by the Inn are sourced locally

• Launch of several social enterprises, including a furniture line, and a cod fishery co-op., This also resulted in a rich and intricate cultural map of the island, highlighting diverse traditions, histories, and more

• Growing national and international recognition of Fogo Island as a model of “economic nutrition” and regenerative place-making

The webinar had a live attendance of 62 participants, representing an audience from six countries, exploring important themes such as humanistic globalization, the dignity that comes from local agency, and the concept of tourism as a practice of culture rather than one of extraction. In closing, attendees were encouraged to engage with shared readings, including "The Power of Where" by Jack Dangermond and "Small Is Beautiful" by E.F. Schumacher, to deepen their understanding of these concepts.

What’s Next?
This was the first in a series of international learning exchanges curated by LegacyWorks México. This session marks the start of a series of transformative conversations to come. We’ll continue exploring global models that can guide collective action in Baja California Sur and beyond in future episodes - stay tuned!

Stay connected with the East Cape Futures Initiative via Instagram, LinkedIn, and futurocabodeleste.com.

Together, we’re weaving a future of regeneration and community-powered development.