Determinantes sociales de la viabilidad del turismo alternativo en Atlautla, una comunidad rural del Centro de México

Abstract

Proposals for local economic development are frequently addressed without having a previous diagnosis on social feasibility, which in many cases leads to excessive time, effort and resources invested in project development, or to the failure of these projects in the early years of operation. This is a recurring issue in rural communities of several countries where, given the urgency to address short-term needs, resources are used without proper planning, consensus or optimal social participation of the local population, all of which translates into resource-use models characterized by a low sustainability. Given this issue and considering that alternative tourism may be a good opportunity for local development without compromising the principles of sustainable development, this study assessed the social feasibility of alternative tourism in a small rural town with an adequate natural and cultural tourism potential. The project was conducted in the municipality of Atlautla, located in the Popocatepetl volcano's western slope in central Mexico. The study area corresponds to a temperate mountain ecosystem that, due to its ecological potential and complex biological and anthropic interrelations, displays an interesting landscape mosaic, which sets the grounds for a large variety of tourist attractions.

The study considered that the social feasibility of tourism depends on three major factors: the local population's perception on tourist potential, the willingness and interest to participate in tourism activities and projects, and the organization and collaboration level within the community. First, 29 tourist attractions were identified and classified based on the diversity of landscape across the study area, through visits scheduled on the basis of the availability of key informants and their recommendations. These attractions were mapped and classified according to the typology of the Inter-American Tourism Training Center (CICATUR) of the Organization of American States (OAS). Tourist attractions were inventoried by applying an original method based on the use of indicators with a format that includes three basic landscape components (biotic, geomorphological and cultural) and three assessment criteria (landscape, environmental and educational-academic). The social feasibility of tourism regarding the 29 attractions identified and field-assessed was undertaken by conducting random surveys and interviews that involved different social parties. Surveys were designed based on 17 indicators that address the three dimensions mentioned for social feasibility. For their part, interviews were designed and conducted with key community informants (political and religious leaders, and representatives of several government levels). The results obtained revealed that local inhabitants have a fairly clear perception of the territory's tourist potential, especially as regards the mountains, and addressing leisure and relaxation objectives. With regard to the community's opinion on visitors, a positive finding was that most of them acknowledged that the presence of tourists is necessary and expressed appreciation for the visitors. The general view was that the economic benefits from their current activities are moderate or low, and that the local development of tourism could yield greater benefits. However, despite the certainty about the potential benefits associated with tourism and the interest expressed to participate in a wide variety of activities, the specific willingness and the effort that would hypothetically be dedicated to this respect were not as high as could be expected. This may be due to the community's suboptimal organization capacity. The union and collaboration between local inhabitants were rated by most respondents as regular or poor, acknowledging differences and internal conflicts. Furthermore, the existence of individual and group leaders was also mentioned, whose work in the community is perceived as regular. These limitations contribute to the apparent inconsistency between the community's high tourism potential and its current social possibilities.