Title: Social impacts of tourism as perceived by state-planned tourism destination residents: the case of Huatulco, Mexico

Authors: Juan Carlos Monterrubio; Gregory S. Gullette; M. Marivel Mendoza-Ontiveros; María José Fernández; Ana C. Luque

Addresses: Centro Universitario UAEM Texcoco, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Texcoco, Edo. Mex., 56259, Mexico. ' Department of Anthropology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, 95053, USA. ' Centro Universitario UAEM Texcoco, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Texcoco, Edo. Mex., 56259, Mexico. ' Instituto de Turismo, Universidad del Mar, Santa María Huatulco, Oax., 70989, Mexico. ' Departamento de Economía y Negocios, Universidad del Mar, Cancún, Q. Roo, 77528 Mexico

Abstract: Drawing from primarily quantitative data collected in 2010 among adult residents (n = 204) in the state-planned tourism destination of Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico, this paper examines the ways in which local residents perceive the social effects of regional tourism development. Currently, socio-demographic impacts of tourism are insufficiently addressed within developing economies and within tourism development initiatives crafted and implemented under state control. Field-tested questionnaire data and ethnographic fieldwork indicate that among Huatulco residents tourism is not viewed as positively associated with increasing rates of crime, prostitution, or drugs. However, increasing variables such as traffic, noise, littering, or population size are associated with Huatulco's tourism economy. Huatulco residents' views on population mobility are mixed. The results presented herein support previous findings within the literatures on tourism impacts, as well as challenge some existing assertions on the correlations between tourism development and social changes within host communities.

Keywords: Mexico; social impacts; tourism assessment; state tourism; tourism planning; participatory development; tourism perceptions; tourism destinations; local residents; Huatulco; Oaxaca; regional tourism; regional development; regions; socio-demographic impacts; developing economies; tourism development; tourism initiatives; state control; crime rates; prostitution; drugs; increasing variables; traffic; noise; litter; pollution; littering; population size; tourism economy; population mobility; social change; host communities; anthropology; tourist industry; tourists.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTA.2012.046094

International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, 2012 Vol.2 No.1, pp.34 - 52

Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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