The multifunctionality of the landscape suggests that agriculture can provide numerous environmental products and services, some of which benefit the public without compensating the producer. Some non-tangible products include biodiversity maintenance ecological functions, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, and cultural functions of recreation, cultural heritage and visual quality (^{Lovell et al., 2010}). Therefore, from this approach, the overall productivity of an agricultural system can be improved by combining multiple functions in the landscape, as opposed to a limited perspective restricted by its production functions (^{Lovell and Johnston, 2008}; ^{Jordan and Warner, 2010}).

In this sense, rural tourism represents the multifunctional use of space (landscape) and agro- ecotourism can be considered the "type of tourism in rural areas where primary production activities (agriculture) join with other secondary (artisanal products food, etc.) and tertiary (tourism) and also some biodiversity activities conservation, leading to promote culture and sustainable local development" (^{Mikery-Gutiérrez et al., 2013}). However, identifying the agro-ecotourism potential requires analysis of territory endogenous resources, coupled with the local perspective on it. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine the potential of agro -ecotourism of Tepexilotla in function of its endogenous resources; environmental, sociocultural and productive capital and the perspective of residents regarding the integration of agro-ecotourism to their community.

It was analyzed the Tepexilotla community, located in the Chocamán Municipality, belonging to the high mountains region of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. The town is part of the Colegio de Postgraduados (COLPOS) priority microregion Care, Campus Córdoba, and also of the Work Priority Line 14 (LP14), Agribusiness, Agro-ecotourism and Landscape Architecture. Tepexilotla is located at coordinates 18° 58' north latitude and 97° 05 ' west longitude, at an elevation of 1 480 masl. The research was conducted form February 2012 to April 2013. It was made a secondary sources survey about the context of the community, the municipality and the region. In addition, interviews with public servants of the City Council of Chocamán and researchers in the area. Semi- structured interviews with key informants in the town and field trips included interviews with some opportunistic with residents found randomly. Finally a participatory mapping workshop was developed with a focus group of residents to identify the predominant elements of environmental, sociocultural and productive capital at spatial level in the community.

Were performed semi-structured interviews with key informants on the interest towards the development of agro-ecotourism, the willingness and intentions of involvement of the people, the behavior of the visitors, the natural resources appreciated by residents and previous work of the local people in tourism scope. Some walks were made through the sites that people identified with tourist attraction, georeferencing them. They were accompanied by a photographic reference and description of the route or site. Finally the sites and routes that the group of residents considered of touristic interest were identified spatially. Satellite images of Google Earth® were used at municipal and local level printing them in color in double letter size sheets, beside the direct visualization of the community during the Participatory Cartography Workshops. All elements identified spatially digitized by using Quantum GIS^® software.

With respect to environmental capital, it was found that hydrography comprises permanent water streams from the Metlac, Texalapa and Tliapia rivers. The first two define the area occupied by the town of Tepexilotla, which represents 155.39 ha. Representative ecosystems are the cloud forest and pine -oak forest; the latter distributed to one the slopes of Pico de Orizaba, Veracruz. The climate is temperate, humid with average annual temperature of 19 °C and average annual rainfall of 2 100 mm. The predominant vegetation is belonging to Cloud Forest ecosystem, been located some relict preserved to the highest parts of the community. The upper tree layer is composed primarily by species of Clethra mexicana, Liquidambar styraciflua, Platanus mexicana, Ulmus mexicana, Meliosma alba, Ostrya virginiana, Carpinus caroliniana, Croton draco and Podocarpus matudae, as well as trees of smaller size as Alnus acuminata, jorullensis Alnus, Juglans regia, Olea europea, Chamaedorea oreophila and Persea schiedeana.

The shrub layer, with species such as: Acacia angustissima, Leucaena macrophylla, Equisetum arvense, Yucca elephantipes and Citrus medica. While the herbaceous layer is characterized by Bromeliads, Orchids, Ferns, Lichens, Mosses, Pteridophytes and Phanerogams, as Antrophyum lineatum, Nephelea mexicana, Osmunda regalis, Dryopteris wallichiana, Pitcairnia heterophylla, Vriesea duvaliana, Tillandsia spp., Coelia macrostachya, Elleanthus cynarocephalus , and Epidendrum longipetalum and Epidendrum raniferum. This area represents disturbed areas or sites with very poor tree layer or very spaced, in which pteridofitas genders Pityrogramma, Pteridium, and Thelypteris and Sticherus predominate. Regarding the pine-oak forest, is characterized by species like Quercus xalapensis, Quercus germana, Pinus montezumae, Pinus pseudostrobus, Abelia floribunda, Bouvardia multiflora, Digitaria leucites, Festuca amplissima and Tillandsia lampropoda. In general, this type of vegetation because of its association with the cloud forest, shares some of the species in the middle and lower strata, and even other upper canopy, like Carpinus caroliniana, Liquidambar macrophylla and Clethra mexicana between other.

The fauna is characterized by the ocelot, bobcat, agouti, rabbit, skunk, squirrel, opossum, opossum mouse, onzilla, raccoon, gopher, rabbit and armadillo, as well as lizards, tlaconetes, bats and snakes that eat lizards, petatilla, false coralillo and from water. The characteristics birds are spring, goldfinch, hawk, pepe, pico de canoe and quail, plus the hummingbird, mockingbird, dove, pigeon, woodpecker, owl, owl, bugler, thrush, heron, rattle, hawk, vulture, chivicoyo and. Given the diversity of relief, vegetation, wildlife and activities taking place in the town, gives landscapes that are highly valued by residents and determined that the environmental capital is considered from this perspective, with the highest potential to attract tourists and the main motivation for visitors to come to this site. This is based on studies of other authors (^{Iaţu et al., 2010}; ^{Iatu and Bulai, 2011}), where the mountainous terrain, bodies of water, green or protected areas are prime attractions for moving from large cities, encouraging the development of tourism activities in rural areas.

As social capital Tepexilotla has 135 inhabitants in high degree of social marginalization and backwardness, has not a predominantly indigenous population (^{INEGI, 2011}). Of these people, a group has been formed with seven family representatives that make up the core responsibility to offer some products and tourism services to visitors, who come mainly on days off. They have been termed as agro-ecotourism group "Cuevas del Rey Man" and usually, several family members are often involved in the supply of products, mainly at Saint Week Semana Santa, when the number of visitors varies between 200 and 400 people (Vázquez, 2012 Com. Pers.). In addition, younger family members are considered to be more capable trail guides. From the perspective of residents, Tepexilotla possesses qualities for the development of tourism as a complement to their productive activities, moreover, involving different members of the family.

The land tenure type is private property, and primarily oriented to agricultural and livestock activities. The population is concentrated in two areas comprising the main access from Tetla and the area where ends the main dirt road called Carrizal. As cultural capital, stresses that the area occupied by the town comprises an archaeological site where the remains of pre-Hispanic Olmec, Mexica and Nonoalca (from the Mexican Altiplano). In the hill called Old Chocamán, located in this area, remains buildings of the empire of the "King Man", which ruled the region until the arrival of the Spaniards (Municipal Development Plan Chocamán 2008-2010) are preserved. According to the historical process of the municipality, the first settlers arrived in the region during the Preclassic period, form Totonac origin, influenced by other cultures such as the Olmec and Teotihuacan. Gastronomic traditions are preserved and the main festivities are depicted to religious events like viacrucis in Saint Week and sports tournaments.

The main economic activity comes from the cultivation of coffee, beans, chili and corn. In addition, patches of lemongrass in some areas of the forest or the coffee plantation, which is marketed as foliage for flower arrangements. Some people raise sheep and cows. The head of the family usually migrate in seasons to work in industry and supplement their income. Women engaged in home and participate in the coffee harvest and sale of some fruits (avocado, squash and chili peppers). Some households raise chickens, pigs and sheep in the solar and vegetables for family consumption. Also is dabbling in trout culture. This gives diversity of landscapes to the community to be developed as agro-ecotourism products, as has been done in other agricultural areas (^{Veeck et al., 2006}; ^{Barbieri et al., 2008}).

Through this endogenous study 26 assets with tourism potential were identified, distributed among various tourist items and categories (Table 1) were identified. From the perspective of residents, Metlac and Texalapa rivers, vegetation, hills, tranquility and contemplation of the landscape were considered resources more attractive for visitors and caves, archaeological sites and cuisine were considered as elements may also attract the visit. Therefore, the perspective of the residents on receiving visitors is positive and this is a key to the development of tourism in the town element because not all communities readily accept outsiders in their territory (^{Yague, 2002}).

Although a group of residents identified agro-ecotourism potential of the town as a key to the development of the community element, which agrees with other studies (^{Evans and Ilbery, 1989}), more information about the needs and preferences of visitors is required about people arriving into the town. This, for generating marketing strategies that positions a successful tourism product, widely accepted and sustainable (^{Oppermann, 1996}; ^{McGehee, 2007}).

Therefore, Tepexilotla has environmental, socio-cultural and productive qualities than toghether with the residents' perception of their environment, make it compatible the development of agro-ecotourism activities and services.