Abstract

PINKUS-RENDON, Manuel Jesús  and  PINKUS-RENDON, Miguel Ángel. Ecotourism: Chimera or Reality of Development in the Biosphere Reserve Ria Celestun, Mexico. LiminaR [online]. 2015, vol.13, n.1, pp.69-80. ISSN 2007-8900.

Ecotourismis defined as one of the alternatives of sustainable development that can have apositive impact on both,the conservation of natural resources and the economy of communities. The aim of this work is to reflect on the impact of ecotourism on communities within the Biosphere Reserve Ria Celestun in the Peninsula of Yucatan, Mexico. To reach this goal, semistructured interviews with service providers were conducted, regarding ecotourism use within the reserve. The results show significant differences in the perception of natural resources of services providers, which varied depending on the knowledge they have gained through training. A lack of coordination between the different levels of government authorities has influenced the way the reserve and tourist cooperatives are managed.

Keywords : alternative tourism; populations; fishermen; protected natural areas.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )