Luxury Tourism and Regional Economic Development in Mexico

Abstract

This article argues that little attention has been paid to the territorial and socioeconomic impact of consumer-service globalization on Third World countries. It specifically examines the economic role of tourism in Mexico and its limited effect on the country's regional development. Despite governmental support in order to enhance economic growth, currency receipts, and employment, tourism contributes less than 5 percent to the gross domestic product, and the majority of tourism-related jobs are precarious and low-skilled. The promotion of luxury resorts in coastal areas has led to highly concentrated and fast-growing enclaves of mainly foreign investment. However, this strategy has failed to stimulate productive links between tourist centers and their hinterlands and has led to large-scale urbanization characterized by a considerable lack of basic services for the resident population.

Remesas, Inversión Extranjera Directa Y Turismo: Algunas Interrelaciones De Largo Plazo Con El Consumo Privado en México

“…En este aspecto, el desarrollo del sector turismo se encuentra en armonía con el de servicios, componente que ha generado la mayor cantidad de empleos durante los últimos años a nivel mundial (Brenner y Aguilar, 2002). Acorde con esto, Hazari y Kaur (1995) estiman que el turismo tiene un efecto positivo sobre el empleo, algo que Hazari y Sgro (1995) enfatizan para economías pequeñas y lo cual se encuentra sustentado por la idea de que las exportaciones de servicios generan crecimiento económico (Balaguer y Cantavella-Jordá, 2002).…”

“…No obstante, lo anterior no es suficiente para garantizar un impacto positivo sobre el crecimiento económico (Clancy, 1999;Brenner y Aguilar, 2002). El argumento básico del primer autor gira en torno a que, el incremento en obras de infraestructura turísticas no se ha visto acompañado por la transparencia suficiente para asegurar que se encuentren libres de corrupción, o que no se propicie una mayor concentración de poder económico.…”

On the issue of growth and development within the context of tourism

“…Sharma (2004) researched the influence of tourism on cities' development and development of countryside. Brenner and Aguilar (2002) investigated the influence of luxury tourism in Mexico on regional economic development. Other authors studied the competitiveness of regions in tourism, the evolution of new products as tools to raise the competitiveness and also the role of marketing and management in modern tourism.…”

Tenure, tourism and timber in Quintana Roo, Mexico: Land tenure changes in forest Ejidos after agrarian reforms

“…Tourism development in centres such as Cancun and Cozumel has not spread economic development to peripheral areas as anticipated (Brenner and Aguila 2002), and thus migration to work in larger tourism centres is necessary for rural residents to capture development benefits. Short-term and permanent migration from ejidos to tourist areas provides an influx of wage income and/or remittances from tourism to ejido members, and initiates a process of change in social relations and cultural meanings within the ejido that may have implications for community cohesion (Juarez 2002).…”