Methodological process for assessing the suitability of the territory for alternative tourism activities: Case study miramar-playa tortugas, riviera nayarit, mexico

Abstract

The inadequate valuation of the natural system and the absence of planning, can cause alternative tourism practices far from the sustainable development that they entail. For this reason, the study of the aptitude of the territory is a fundamental management tool prior to establishing any tourist activity. The research aims to demonstrate a methodological process of assessing the aptitude of the territory for alternative tourism activities (ecotourism, adventure and rural tourism) having as a case study the Miramar-Playa Tortugas corridor, a rural coastal strip of interaction between five rural communities belonging to the Riviera Nayarit project in western Mexico. The area has not yet been developed tourism, so it retains much of its original characteristics: undisturbed beaches, mangroves and natural corridors for different species such as migratory birds, sea turtles and jaguars. The methodology is based on the analysis of the physical, biological and socioeconomic attributes that the area presents, integrated through a geographic information system and multicriteria evaluation. Having as product the proposal of units with aptitude for alternative tourism.