Amenity migration in the Patagonian mountain community of San Martín de los Andes, Neuquén, Argentina.

Abstract

This chapter identifies the characteristics and consequences of amenity migration in San Martín de los Andes, Argentina. It also assesses the importance and historical continuities of its development in this mountain tourist destination in Patagonia. It is confirmed that the city of San Martín de los Andes is being significantly affected by amenity-seeking residents, due mainly to its strong attraction as a mountain tourist centre and its amenity attributes per se. Amenity migrants and others are over-extending urban services and housing, creating employment problems and negatively impacting social relationships. Yet, the amenity migrants also have positive influences, particularly generating some types of income, investment capital and positive social values and behaviour, such as a heightened awareness of nature and the need to sustain it.

Transformaciones locales y nuevas funcionalidades económicas vinculadas a las migraciones por amenidad en la Patagonia chilena

“…Estudios previos sobre esta temática se han desarrollado en ciudades intermedias de la Patagonia Argentina, como San Martín de Los Antes (González 2009) y en San Carlos de Bariloche (Otero et al, 2006). Para el caso de Chile cambios similares han sido observados en destinos turísticos consolidados como las ciudades de Villarrica y Pucón (Zunino & Hidalgo 2010).…”

International Handbook of Rural Demography

“…Although amenity migration has been most prominent in industrialized nations, the developing world is also experiencing destination-oriented development in attractive locations from China (Ma & Chow, 2006) to Argentina (Otero et al, 2006) and South Africa (Visser, 2004). Following the rapid growth of eco-tourism, a growing number of expatriates from developed nations are choosing to purchase seasonal property or permanently migrate to popular destinations (Sunil et al, 2007).…”

The economic importance of air travel in high-amenity rural areas

“…The phenomenon of people moving to live and work in areas of high natural amenities, sometimes called amenity migration (Moss, 2006), is occurring in various parts of the world. This includes the European Alps (Perlik, 2006(Perlik, , 2008, Norway (Flognfeldt, 2006), Philippines (Glorioso, 2006), Czech Republic (Bartos, 2008), New Zealand (Hall, 2006) and Argentina (Otera et al, 2006(Otera et al, , 2008. As with the American West, these regions show varied rates of growth of population and the economy, and transportation infrastructure that is not evenly distributed.…”