Indigenous ecotourism in preserving and empowering Mayan natural and cultural values at Palenque, Mexico

Indigenous ecotourism in preserving and empowering Mayan natural and cultural values at Palenque, Mexico

Indigenous tourism in the Mayan Area has virtually not been mentioned in the literature. As a result of the course of tourism in the Mayan Area, this study assessed the level of empowerment in the Mayan communities surrounding a major archaeological site and tourism attraction of the Classic Maya: Palenque, in Mexico. The empowerment framework was used to assess whether or not tourism develops in terms that ultimately benefit economically, psychologically, politically, socially and environmentally the local communities. A checklist of empowerment indicators identified from the literature were tested and contrasted to the interviews conducted with Mayan tourism stakeholders. Results indicate that local indigenous participation in tourism has not been easy to occur due to a lack of knowledge in tourism, limited economic resources and negotiation skills which has significantly disempowered Mayan communities. NGOs have not participated in the local tourism development until recently and the investment from the private tourism sector has not stood out with its presence. The Mexican government is tracing the course of indigenous ecotourism with several support programs. These results form the basis for more effective strategies to maximize involvement of Mayan communities in managing their cultural and natural resources and the tourism on which they depend.

c. US Department of Agriculture Forest Service.