Impact of Chiapanecan Handicrafts

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to study the perception of Chiapanecan handicrafts as an element of sustainable competitive advantage in the State of Chiapas, Mexico, mainly due to the tourism. Mexican handicrafts contribute to 20.3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the cultural sector, that is, 0.6% of the National GDP. This research is quantitative, descriptive, and transversal. The sample selection was made for convenience so certain criteria could be met. In total, 70 tourists were surveyed in the handicraft commerce area. For the data retrieval, an instrument with the "Sustainability SWOT" (sSWOT) was designed, which consists of eight dimensions (trends, environmental challenges, threats, opportunities, strengths, weaknesses, which to prioritize, and where to act). The instrument consists of 22 items with a single Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 (1 = Null to 5 = Excellent). The study showed that 54.29% of the tourists who visit Chiapas perceive that handicrafts have a regular impact on the small producer's quality of life, while the remaining 45.71% point out that the impact is greater.