posted on 2023-08-30, 14:43authored byDalia O. Lara-Morales
Sustainability has become vitally important in recent decades, especially in developing countries with high
percentages of indigenous peoples and serious problems related to poverty in rural areas. In several countries of
Latin America, indigenous communities are valued for their unique features, cultural attractions and diversity of
their landscapes, however, these communities do not have many options for their subsistence. Ecotourism can
be a reliable source of sustainable economic development in regions with fewer options, given that the nature of
the ecotourism product can be founded upon the cultural and ecological capital of indigenous peoples, taking
place in biodiverse natural areas, employing vulnerable local groups, engaging with local businesses, and the
informal sector. This doctoral thesis critically assessed and examined the potential of ecotourism to support the
global sustainable development goals (SDGs) for ecological protection and poverty reduction in indigenous
communities of Latin America; with particular reference to two ecotourism projects led by the Hñahñu community
of El Alberto, state of Hidalgo in central Mexico. This research project analysed key literature concerning the
evolution of sustainable development on planning and policy-making towards the importance of indigenous
sustainability. Furthermore, by employing the tourism value chain analysis (TVCA) during the fieldwork research
it provides insights in the context of stakeholder engagement and ownership and documented benefits of
indigenous peoples informal participation within the ecotourism market. Also, through the TVCA, the impacts of
ecotourism strategies on the livelihoods of indigenous peoples are empirically evaluated, and the benefits that
these bring to achieve poverty reduction through sustainable development. The research findings suggest that
ecotourism represents a viable source of support for the achievement of the global SDGs in regions with few
other options, and that a good performance of the TVC can significantly improve ecotourism management and
foster sustainable development and poverty reduction within the process, providing as a refreshing counterexample
to several well-publicised failures, an account of an indigenous community that has succeeded in its
ecotourism projects against all odds. The conclusions relating to the sustainable development of the ecotourism
projects in indigenous communities were drawn into a conceptual framework based on key recommendations
that can assist the Hñahñu community of el Alberto to overcome constraints among their TVC and strengthen
their ecotourism endeavours. The lessons learned from the Hñahñu ecotourism projects can be also used by
other indigenous peoples in similar conditions, these include: the weight of community engagement in ecotourism
through indigenous inception as a local initiative, transparency and accountability; gender equality, effective
marketing; the role of the government; and the right involvement of the private sector.