Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

El presente trabajo propone estrategias operacionales, comunicativas y de coordinación entre el Huaorani Ecolodge con su entorno comunitario, a través de procesos establecidos en la certificación Global Ecosphere Retreats (GER), específicamente en el componente Comunidad. El estudio se efectuó con la participación de las comunidades Quehueriono, Nenkepade, Apaika, Kakataro y Wentado ubicadas en la Amazonía ecuatoriana. Previo a formular las estrategias se realizó el diagnóstico del estado de las relaciones comunitarias entre la administración del Ecolodge y las comunidades, para ello se usó información documental, listas de cotejo y entrevistas a los principales actores de la actividad ecoturística. Este análisis determino una brecha de 62.5% del componente gestión comunitaria y los estándares de sostenibilidad propuestos por la certificación GER en este componente. Mediante procesos participativos se desarrollaron estrategias para mejorar las relaciones comunitarias, las condiciones laborales y los beneficios sociales y económicos de la comunidad. Las estrategias construidas indican los procesos, actividades, registros y a los responsables de su implementación y seguimiento. De esta forma se garantiza y potencializa el mantenimiento del entorno cultural y ecológico de la zona, ejes poco considerados en las certificaciones de turismo sostenible.

Tourism is an activity that in recent years has shown a growth in localities that have natural attractions. Concerning tourist activities in rural communities, such as the sighting of gray whales in Mexico, especially in Baja California Sur (BCS), there is the tendency to name such tourism as “Sustainable”. The objective of this research is to analyze the quality of the service offered in the gray whale observation tourism in two ejidos of the El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve (REBIVI), as well as the local population that benefits from direct employment of tourism and the quality of the public services in the ejidos. In order to carry out the study, indicators of the satisfaction of the tourist service, obtained through surveys applied to tourists, were analyzed. Likewise, socioeconomic indicators were analyzed, which were obtained from surveys applied to the local inhabitants and from other sources such as INEGI. The results show that in both localities the visitor showed satisfaction with the service received, although they present deficiencies in some public services and in greater opportunities of employment in the tourist sector for the local inhabitants, which contradicts the discourse of social and economic development of sustainable tourism in Mexico. At the end of the analysis, the pertinent recommendations are offered to increase the benefits and the sustainability of this ecotourism activity.

La innovación mediante las Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación (TIC) se ha convertido en un factor para la competitiva en la industria turística, que permite en este caso analizar el índice de adopción de las TIC en las empresas de la villa langostera de Puerto Nuevo, para conocer los retos y oportunidades en el entorno actual del turismo. Se utilizó la técnica cualitativa focus group, donde se invitó a ocho personas que frecuentan visitar el poblado, con la finalidad de conocer los medios tecnológicos que utilizan para consultar información turística y en especial de Puerto Nuevo. Se aplicó una encuesta a 20 administradores y/o dueños de restaurantes de la comunidad, los cuales fueron seleccionadas tomando como marco de muestreo su registro en el sitio de Internet del Fideicomiso Público para la Promoción Turística de Baja California, se eligió a las organizaciones que afirmaran utilizar por lo menos uno de los siguientes tres elementos tecnológicos: red social; sitio de Internet; correo electrónico. Asimismo, se estimó el índice de adopción de innovaciones de las TIC por categorías, obteniendo un índice aceptable para la operación del negocio, sin embargo, en cuanto e-marketing y la administración de relaciones con los clientes no se alcanza el nivel estratégico. Lo que ocasiona la falta de difusión de los servicios del destino y no permite a los visitantes anticipar su experiencia.

The most dynamic tourism sector in Tulum, Quintana Roo, is related to the provision of health, relaxation, spirituality and the natural environment services. Therefore, there is an important use of aromatic plants. However, there is few knowledge about the acquisition and use of these by those who offer these services to tourists. Thus, in this research we analyzed information from therapists, instructors and manufacturers of natural products in order to identify the aromatic plants used in this sector in Tulum, Quinta Roo. The results showed that the most used species for the tourism services are: mint, basil and rue. In addition, the Chi square test allowed identifying an association between the type of service offered to tourists and 1) the supplier to whom the plant is purchased, as well as, 2) the seasons of use of the plant. It was found that yoga services are the ones who have the most diversity of plant suppliers, they are the ones who buy the most from the Mayan communities and together with the therapeutic services promote self-cultivation. Also, variability of the season consumption was found for the different types of services included in the study.

This paper attempts to analyze the implementation of tourism activities from the natural resources at two municipalities of the State of Mexico. This is presented as an economic development option against conditions characterized by poverty, marginalization, poor employment and migration for most of the inhabitants of the places mentioned. While there is a legal framework that regulates and aims to promote nature tourism and order some federal programs and statee sense, the lack of information and support has made serious limitations for actions that have begun to deploy a group of families. The analysis of this case is relevant to the extent that it may constitute a paradigm of the fragile relationship between tourism and the objective of the conservation and sustainability of natural resources.

Mexico is considered the country of sea turtles, nesting beaches and feeding areas contribute to make it a fundamental nation for its protection. However, in public management, the coastal zone lacks an integrated policy. The contribution of this research corresponds to the theoretical-methodological link of complex systems, with the ecological approach for the protection of sea turtle nesting beaches and tourist activity. The integration of social, political, environmental and economic criteria and the application of different instruments allowed identifying the problems in terms of legislation and regulations. Economic activities in Chalacatepec need to be an integral part of the environmental order of the territory; Alternatives were proposed according to the ecological importance of the nesting beach, which implies the diversification of primary, secondary activities and those oriented to services and trade.

Boutique hotels represent an innovation of the hotel industry, with a great potential as drivers of global tourism. This research analyzes the 14 boutiques hotels located in the city of Puebla, Mexico; aiming to identify the elements that trigger competitiveness in this kind of hotels. Information collected from TripAdvisor was used to perform a multiple linear regression analysis. Subsequently, results were confronted with the expertise of three leaders of successful boutique hotels. The outcomes showed that the quality in customer service and the use of digital media as part as the marketing strategy of these hotels, are two important drivers of its competitiveness. In contrast, the infrastructure and location of themselves are not decisive of its success. It is rather, the creation of an own concept and the integrity of its services, what differentiates and raises their competitiveness.

The world of wine has been the engine of the tourism at La Rioja. It’s one of the most important economic activities of the region and an identity sign. In this way, it was logical that wine tourism became the tourist reference of the region. But, as the whole of the tourism, its development took place at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21ts century. Since then, wine tourism is a referent in La Rioja, with a defined tourism infrastructure and with an institutional support from all areas. Thus, a rich heritage material and immaterial has been valued, a culture, and all elements linked to viticulture. The present work, analyze the potential of wine routes in La Rioja, starting for the existence of a Wine Route of Rioja Alta.

This paper analyzes the content of three competitiveness monitors aiming to identify the variables in these monitors that check the level of innovation or capacity for innovation. Thus, the TTCI (Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index) WEF (World Ecoomic Forum) and the Monitor of Tourism Competitiveness of MTur/Brazil are compared with the GCI (Global Competitiveness Index) of WEF. The analysis is based on theories/ concepts of innovation, considering the factors and obstacles cited in the literature as variables that act on the generation of innovative capacity. The methodology is qualitative and it’s performed by a literature review and content analysis. The results indicate that there is no consistency between theory and practice for a proper linkage between the construct competitiveness and innovation. Although the theory establishes a direct relationship between them, in the practical plan was noted that competitiveness monitors have not variables to measure innovation in its structure. Therefore, these monitors are not considering this direct relationship, it means that do not consider the importance of the innovation effect on tourism competitiveness.

This article analyzes postgraduate teaching students’ evaluations of the training in research methodology received during their degree and its use in the teaching practice. The participants are students attending the Research Methodology course corresponding to a Master’s program, in the pedagogical field, at the Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chile. The methodology was qualitative, using open questionnaires and a discussion group. The data were analyzed using a categorical analysis and reduction, through ATLAS.ti 6.0. The main results show a critical view of the participants on the methodology and research training they received in undergraduate courses, as well as the insufficiencies in the training that is focused on the degree´s thesis design and not on giving tools to practice the profession. The participants questioned the role of the university in the education of teachers who do research. Regarding the uses of research methodology in the professional practice, although varied, they are limited by training deficits and institutional conditions. Despite their critics, the participants have high valuation of the significance of research methodology for the development of their professional practice. These results encourage us to suggest elements to nourish the debate about the way in which research methodology should be taught, as well as what research methodology is taught for, in order to contribute to the professional development processes of the teaching-research teams.