Ecotourism in Mexico is tourism that sustainably experiences fragile, pristine and relatively undisturbed natural areas. Tourism is a large sources of revenue for Mexico [1] Ecotourism has received mixed responses, but organizations such as the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) stressed its importance in the long-term economic health of Mexico. [2]
Ecotourism received support from policymakers as reflected by recent legislation. For example, the General Tourism Law of 2009 prioritizes sustainability in tourism through planning, determining methods for improving tourism resources, and preserving culture and ecological balance. [1]
Mexico introduced policies and programs such as the Programme for Sustainable Regional Tourism Development, Pueblos Mágico, General Tourism Planning of the Territory Programme, and Mexico's Special Climate Change Programme. However, Mexico stated that barriers to adequate infrastructure contribute to environmental challenges in ecotourism. [3]
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, Travel and Tourism contributed MXN 3,100.3 billion (US$165.9 billion) to the Mexican economy in 2016, about 16.0 percent, and was expected to rise by 3.7 percent in 2017. [4]
Ecotourism in Mexico faces controversy as tourism displaces other local activities, disadvantaging those not in the industry. [2] [5]
Mexico's tourism is not ecologically sustainable. In his analysis of tourism in community ecotourism in Ventanilla, Oaxaca, scientist V. S. Avila Foucat of the University of York recommended developing a code of ethics for tourists and establishing incentives for sustainable community projects. [6]
Mexico is home to 42 of UNESCO's Latin America and Caribbean Biosphere Reserves. These sites are popular and important to ecotourism. [7]
In Mexico's INDC, [8] as part of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, one of their strategic infrastructure goals is for tourist areas to implement adaptation measures in the case of an extreme event. From 2020-2030, more emphasis was to go to the impact the environment has on tourism.
The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in west-central Mexico is an example of ecotourism that has existed since the 1980s. It was initially proposed that this would be help alleviate poverty and advance conservation efforts. However, David Barkin provided evidence that this conservation effort has been ineffective on improving poverty in this area, especially for indigenous peoples. [5] [9]
Barkin found that despite attracting over 250,000 visitors yearly the Reserve has not generated any local economic development.
During the expansion of the Reserve in 2000, the area where forestry activities were completely prohibited expanded. As a result, surrounding local communities lost their main source of income.[ citation needed ] Although local communities later became involved in the management process, their decisions/proposals are not legally recognized. The National Commission of Protected Areas is the only organization to legally make final decisions.
Xcaret Park is an "eco-archeological" [10] theme park in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Xcaret features indigenous Mexican culture, combining it with around 50 theme park attractions. This destination maintains its ecotourism commitment through its extensive corporate social responsibility program, which has been in place since 2016. Specifically, Xcaret implements almost all aspects of the UN's Millennium Development Goals into various parts of their business. [11] Moufakkir and Burns are critical of the way Xcaret has developed and used identities of various actors in Mexico and believes that this is a commodification of indigenous cultures for tourism. [12]
Ecotourism is a form of tourism marketed as "responsible" travel to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. The stated purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds for ecological conservation, to directly benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local communities, or to foster respect for different cultures and human rights.
Tourism in Mexico is a very important industry. Since the 1960s, it has been heavily promoted by the Mexican government, as "an industry without smokestacks." Mexico has traditionally been among the most visited countries in the world according to the World Tourism Organization, and it is the second-most visited country in the Americas, after the United States. In 2017, Mexico was ranked as the sixth-most visited country in the world for tourism activities. Mexico has a significant number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with the list including ancient ruins, colonial cities, and natural reserves, as well as a number of works of modern public and private architecture. Mexico has attracted foreign visitors beginning in the early nineteenth century, with its cultural festivals, colonial cities, nature reserves and the beach resorts. The nation's temperate climate and unique culture – a fusion of the European and the Mesoamerican – are attractive to tourists. The peak tourism seasons in the country are during December and the mid-Summer, with brief surges during the week before Easter and Spring break, when many of the beach resort sites become popular destinations for college students from the United States.
Sustainable tourism is a concept that covers the complete tourism experience, including concern for economic, social and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourists' experiences and addressing the needs of host communities. Sustainable tourism should embrace concerns for environmental protection, social equity, and the quality of life, cultural diversity, and a dynamic, viable economy delivering jobs and prosperity for all. It has its roots in sustainable development and there can be some confusion as to what "sustainable tourism" means. There is now broad consensus that tourism should be sustainable. In fact, all forms of tourism have the potential to be sustainable if planned, developed and managed properly. Tourist development organizations are promoting sustainable tourism practices in order to mitigate negative effects caused by the growing impact of tourism, for example its environmental impacts.
The Royal Society for The Conservation of Nature (RSCN) is an independent voluntary organization that is devoted to the conservation of Jordan's natural resources; it was established in 1966 with the late King Hussein as Honorary President.
Rural tourism is a tourism that focuses on actively participating in a rural lifestyle. It can be a variant of ecotourism. Many villages can facilitate tourism because many villagers are hospitable and eager to welcome or host visitors. Agriculture has become more mechanized and requires less manual labor. This trend is causing economic pressure on some villages, which in turn causes young people to move to urban areas. There is however, a segment of the urban population that is interested in visiting the rural areas and understanding the lifestyle.
Angangueo is a municipality located in far eastern Michoacán state in central Mexico noted for its history of mining and its location in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. The municipal seat is the Mineral de Angangueo. It is located in high rugged forested mountains, with the town in a small canyon.
La Sierra Norte de Oaxaca is a heavily wooded region in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. It is 62 km from the city of Oaxaca on Federal highway 175, heading east towards Tuxtepec. The region is divided into three districts: Ixtlán, which has 26 municipalities, Villa Alta, which has 25 municipalities and Mixe, which has 17 municipalities.
The indigenous community of San Juan Soconusco, is located in the municipality of Donato Guerra, in the State of Mexico in the country of Mexico. The town's economic initiatives have gained its recognition from the State of Mexico in 2007. Among these the establishment of agro-industry and fish farming in the area.
Tourism in Costa Rica has been one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the country and by 1995 became the largest foreign exchange earner. Since 1999, tourism has earned more foreign exchange than bananas, pineapples and coffee exports combined. The tourism boom began in 1987, with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1.03 million in 1999, over 2 million in 2008, to a historical record of 2.66 million foreign visitors in 2015. In 2012, tourism contributed with 12.5% of the country's GDP and it was responsible for 11.7% of direct and indirect employment. In 2009, tourism attracted 17% of foreign direct investment inflows, and 13% in average between 2000 and 2009. In 2010, the tourism industry was responsible for 21.2% of foreign exchange generated by all exports. According to a 2007 report by ECLAC, tourism contributed to a reduction in poverty of 3% in the country.
The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve is a World Heritage Site containing most of the overwintering sites of the eastern population of the monarch butterfly. The reserve is located in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests ecoregion on the border of Michoacán and State of Mexico, 100 km, northwest of Mexico City. Millions of butterflies arrive in the reserve annually. Butterflies only inhabit a fraction of the 56,000 hectares of the reserve from October–March. The biosphere's mission is to protect the butterfly species and its habitat.
Despite a high potential for tourism, tourism in Madagascar is underdeveloped. Madagascar's tourist attractions include its beaches and biodiversity. The island's endemic wildlife and forests are unique tourist attractions. However, historical sites, craftsmen communities, and relaxed cities make it a favorite with return travellers.
The La Ruta Moskitia Ecotourism Alliance is a collection of six ecotourism enterprises which are owned and operated by local indigenous communities. The Alliance provides ecotourism products and services within the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve in Honduras. The goal of the Alliance is to direct the financial benefits of sustainable tourism initiatives to local communities. Sustainable tourism practices can help prevent locals from overhunting, overfishing, and overusing the land in the bio reserve. The La Ruta Moskitia Ecotourism Alliance started with the support of Rare, the conservation and wildlife protection organization, as well as the United Nations.
Responsible tourism is a relatively modern concept in the Kingdom of Thailand that took root in the late-1990s. It is underpinned by the belief that tourism should develop in a manner that minimizes negative impacts on local communities, and wherever possible ensure that a positive symbiosis exists between hosts and visitors. Responsible travel promotes a respect for indigenous culture, the minimization of the negative environmental impacts of tourism, active participation in volunteering to assist local communities, and the structuring of businesses to benefit the final service provider rather than an international agent.
A conservation management system (CMS) is a procedure for maintaining a species or habitat in a particular state. It is a means whereby humankind secures wildlife in a favourable condition for contemplation, education or research, in perpetuity. It is an important topic in cultural ecology, where conservation management counterbalances the unchecked exploitative management of natural resources. Conservation management systems are vital for turning sustainable development strategies into successful operations.
Ecotourism is a key component of the tourism industry in Costa Rica. By the early 1990s, Costa Rica became known as the poster child of ecotourism. The country is among many developing nations that look to ecotourism as a way of cashing in on the growing demand for this popular trend of travel.
Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation is a national association of Sri Lanka that aims to create a wide network of ecotourism actors throughout the country. The organization focuses on developing the economic and social development of rural communities through tourism.
Ecotourism in Jordan has grown tremendously due to environmental pressures and the demand for jobs outside of the cities, especially since the establishment of the Dana Biosphere in 1993, the first biosphere reserve.
The forests of Mexico cover a surface area of about 64 million hectares, or 34.5% of the country. These forests are categorized by the type of tree and biome: tropical forests, temperate forests, cloud forests, riparian forests, deciduous, evergreen, dry, moist, etc.. The agency in charge of Mexico's forests is the Comisión Nacional Forestal. Despite major reforms to the Mexican Constitution in 1992 regarding private land, Mexico would later enact major forest regulation laws in 1998 and 2003. Though no longer required to enforce land regulation in Mexico, Article 27 of the Mexican Constitution also still permits the Mexican Government to enact land regulation.
The Redberry Lake Biosphere Region was established in 2000 as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve covering 112,200 ha in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. In 2019, the reserve expanded to become a region including the Redberry Lake watershed and surrounding land encompassing close to 700,000 ha of land. The regional landscape is composed of rolling prairie dotted with seasonal ponds and marshes along with aspen/shrub groves. The core area is Redberry Lake, a saline lake with several islands. There are small patches of natural mixed prairie which are very rare in this highly grazed and cultivated part of the prairies. The Redberry Lake Biosphere Region is committed to balancing conservation with sustainable development.
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