“From Mass Tourism to Alternative Tourism, a Challenge Towards Creativity”: The Major Challenges Facing Mexico

Undoubtedly, traveling represents a synonym of pleasure and quality of life; it is also one of the most expressive ways of establishing and developing physical, intellectual, moral, and emotional values. Therefore, tourism cannot be static; tourism as an economic and social activity must respond to the movements, changes, and demands of human beings.

But to meet these expectations, current tourism must contribute to the conservation of resources through comprehensive planning of their use and management, as well as establishing and developing an environmental tourism culture.

 “Tourism comprises the activities of people traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, and other purposes” (UNWTO, 1994)

To discuss Mass Tourism, it is important to go back and cite José Ortega y Gasset, The Revolt of the Masses, Porrúa, Mexico, 1985, p.97:    “The cities are full of tenants. The hotels are full of guests, the cafes full of consumers, the trains full of travelers, the promenades full of passersby, the offices of famous doctors full of patients, the shows, unless they are very untimely, full of spectators. The beaches are full of bathers”.

The mass phenomenon in the context of tourism arises as a vital need of the individual for the mere desire to travel and rest.

In tourism, the term “masses” unlike what we might think, is not synonymous with volume or crowds of people, nor diverse groups or teams. The term “mass” is conceptualized as the common denominator of humanity regarding the socio-physiological-recreational phenomenon that is part of the human being, and in this case, the tourism phenomenon satisfies it.

Thus, the well-known “mass tourism” emerges, different from “alternative tourism,” as the latter is a specific form within the former.

Mass tourism, better known as conventional tourism, seeks relaxation, recreation, and pleasure.

There is no doubt that tourism is not a simple phenomenon; it is complex, integral, universal, and total, having the capacity to change attitudes and criteria regarding others, also becoming a cultural and economic phenomenon of great importance.

On the other hand, when we talk about alternative tourism, we automatically think of the word “sustainability,” as an alternative to seek progress, and with it the rational use of natural and human resources, to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations.

And, what happens in Mexico and what challenges has it faced in terms of sustainability?

I find it necessary and important to share some textual reflections from a study presented in 2020 at the initiative of the Ministry of Tourism of the Government of Mexico (SECTUR), Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO), National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), Agenda 2030, United Nations (UN) Environment, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Indigenous Tourism Network, Sustainable World, Genuine Ecotourism, Sustainable Tourism Network, University of the Environment, Genuine Experiences, Rosi Amerena, Cultiva Ciudad, Sustentur, Ruta Origen, and Natoure. “In 2018 Mexico ranked 116th in tourism sustainability, despite being the 4th most megadiverse country, 2nd in effective use of natural resources, and 10th in cultural resources.

As a result of the above, tourist destinations in Mexico face great challenges in sustainability, inheriting the coexistence of tourist paradises with areas of high marginalization and deep social deficiencies, deficiencies in supply, sanitation and water treatment, waste management, connectivity, and lack of planning in urban mobility, coupled with the predation of land and territorial reserves.

To counteract this, on April 25, 2019, under the leadership of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), together with the Ministry of Tourism of the Government of Mexico (SECTUR), nature tourism in Mexico was promoted as a strategy for conservation and social inclusion, thus giving rise to the “Tlatocán of Tourism Sustainability”, bringing together nature tourism experts with government actors to promote a new way of doing tourism in Mexico.

* The Tlatocán or “Great Council” was the most important body of the Aztec Empire. Its functions included administrative and judicial matters.

With the aim of eradicating poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity for all, in 2015 world leaders adopted a set of global goals embodied in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which commits to 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve this end.

The United Nations (UN) recognizes the significant contribution of tourism activity in meeting the 17 goals, where tourism is directly related to goals 8, 12, and 14, and specifically in goal 8 and target 8.9 emphasizes promoting and developing sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.

So, what do we consider Sustainable Tourism?

At the Euromediterranean Conference on Tourism and Sustainable Development in 1993, the UNWTO postulated that “Sustainable Tourism attends to the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. It is conceived as a way to manage all resources so that economic, social, and aesthetic needs can be met while respecting cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life-support systems.”

Thus, sustainable tourism is proposed as that focused on social inclusion, economic justice, and the conservation of cultural and natural heritage, as well as the regeneration of nature.

Based on meeting the above criteria, sustainable tourism can take various forms, such as nature tourism, ecotourism, indigenous tourism, regenerative tourism, rural tourism, community tourism, biocultural tourism, agritourism, adventure tourism, responsible sun and beach tourism, and low-scale tourism, among others.

Although the 2009 crisis is not comparable to the magnitude of the global crisis generated by COVID-19, it is important not to forget that this crisis put many important conversations on the table about the evolution of tourism in Mexico, particularly concerning mass tourism and the “All inclusive” sun and beach model, and the necessary evolution towards a more diverse tourism, not only in products but also in destinations within our country.

For the nature and adventure segment, many of the challenges of 2009 remain challenges today. We are once again faced with a crisis that presents us with the opportunity to change course, and focus on inclusive, just, and responsible tourism that values our culture and biodiversity.

The aforementioned study indicates that tourism is the most affected sector by the COVID-19 crisis.

This crisis will be remembered for a long time for the hard blow it dealt to our economy and especially to tourism. However, this period could become an opportunity for CHANGE to transform the type of tourism provided in Mexico and create the “tourism we dream of”, with a healthy, socially inclusive, economically just approach, but above all, with respect for nature. Similarly, the crisis could be an excellent catalyst to steer consumers and providers in the tourism sector towards the path of sustainability.

The same study mentions that with this pandemic, a current has grown that revalues the local producer, starting with what gives us food every day, and where tourism has the potential to be the conductor that integrates productive sectors that work separately but are part of the tourism value chain. Therefore, it is important to consider their inclusion starting with the agricultural sector, but also the forestry, fishing, and handicraft sectors. Sectors that are also relevant to the tourism sector, not only because they add value to the chain but also because in Mexico most sustainable tourism service providers are simultaneously engaged in one of these activities to be profitable.

However, we cannot be blind to what we, “the man,” have caused with irrational and excessive consumption of natural resources, such as pollution, land degradation, air and water contamination, and even the loss of cultural identity.

Today more than ever, the entire world seeks to improve people’s quality of life, and in tourism, many achievements have been made, although many more are needed. Among them: distance is no longer an impediment, the time needed for travelers to move from one place to another has been reduced, technology evolves daily and has allowed us to communicate regardless of distance and location. But also, this technology has led us to understand that tourists are increasingly informed, demanding, conscious, and eager to learn more about the place they will visit. The cure for old and new diseases (a great challenge we have faced in the last two years due to COVID-19) is undoubtedly significant. As mentioned earlier, tourism has been one of the most affected sectors worldwide, and each country has faced the situation differently to achieve a rapid recovery of tourism activity.

Governments have created current tourism policies concerned with acting against the environmental impacts of tourism. Today the world is undergoing a profound transformation, as tourists, consumers, and citizens are more environmentally conscious. The whole world can be said to demand different conditions in the production and use of tourism services, putting an end to the uncontrolled expansion of mass tourism.

As previously mentioned, today tourism in this area appeals directly to the traveler’s spirit, promoting environmental care, starting with small details as simple as not shouting outdoors to avoid disturbing the present fauna. In this sense, there is great concern among environmentalists who have emphasized the 3Rs encompassing conservation, “Recycle-Reduce and Reuse.”

In conclusion, it is essential to highlight the importance of tolerance between people in tourism; learning to share among equals without distinction of race, gender, or social class. In this case, tourism acts as an inclusive activity and imposes itself to break the barriers that may exist in other sectors.

As time goes by, we witness a change in human mentality, an evolution in line with the advances presented; Mexican destinations will be references of sustainable tourism, healthy, integrating ecosystem services to create sustainable consumption and production value chains, generating local participation, socio-environmental commitment, and friendliness with biodiversity.

We have the challenge of being creative with new tourism products, and I close by recalling Einstein who said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”.