Developing Sustainable Tourism Practices and Policies in Indigenous Communities of

Mexico, Ecuador, and Chile

‘Indigenous people are the existing descendants of the original people inhabiting a particular region or country’ (BSR, 2003)

Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make as low impact on the environmental local culture as possible, while helping to generate future employment for local people.

(Weaver, 2006)

• Linkage the tourism industry sub-sectors connect with each other (economically)

• Leakage the proportion of the tourism spending

that accrues outside the destination

• Multiplier a measure of secondary effects of a tourists’ spending

Research Objectives

• Analyze linkages between indigenous people, ecotourism and sustainable development

• Identify drivers and barriers to MSE participation by using the value-chain analysis

• Develop an outline of lessons learned from the fieldwork research and analyze what may be relevant to others in Latin America.

Research Sites

Country: Mexico

State: Hidalgo

Indigenous peoples: Hña Hñu

Case studies:

1. The Grand Canyon Ecoalberto

2. Xoxafi Caves

Country: Ecuador

Location: Tena, Napo Province,Amanzon

Indigenous peoples:Kichwas

Case studies: 1. Chuva Urku Community

2. Machacuyaku

Country: Chile

Location: Puyehue National ParkLakes Region, the Andes

Indigenous peoples: Huiliche-Mapuche

Case studies:1. Mawidan-Chen Community

2. Calfuco Las Parras Community

Value-chain Framework

Value-chain describes all activities involved in producing a good or service and bringing to

consumption (Ashley and Mitchell, 2008).

Small farmers

Food processers

Fruit + vegetables + wholesales

Support institutions

Value-chain Analysis Framework

Pre-arrival Transport Hospitality Attraction

Service Service

Research methods

1. Mapping the Value-chain (value-chain analysis)

2. Analyze linkages

3. Assessing barriers

“The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth” Chief Seattle