TITLE:
“Tourism Potentiality” as an Additional Activity for Socio-Economic Development of the Fishing Field in Las Aguamitas, Sinaloa, Mexico
AUTHORS:
Marcela Rebeca Contreras-Loera, Elizabeth Olmos-Martinez
KEYWORDS:
Tourism, Rural Community, Socioeconomic Development, Cooperative
JOURNAL NAME:
Modern Economy,
Vol.5 No.6,
June
9,
2014
ABSTRACT: Riparian rural communities are
characterized as spaces whose main activity is the exploitation of natural
resources of the sea, but the diversification of economic activities is an
option to change their current situation. The fishing cooperative plays a
critical role in addressing the challenges imposed by the demands of today’s
world. It is necessary to implement practices that contribute to economic,
social and ecological development of the locality. This paper presents results
of research whose objective was to identify the tourism potentiality as a
complementary activity to economic and social development of the rural
community in Las Aguamitas and the role of the fishing cooperative Barra de La
Tonina, in local community development. Data collection was conducted through
semi-structured interviews and observation. In addition, a survey to
characterize socioe-conomically cooperative members was applied. The findings
indicate that Las Aguamitas is a rural community with a wide range of natural
and human resources to promote and encourage tourism. Even though the members
of the cooperative and the community residents offer travel services, these are
informal and without professionalization of the activity. From the above, it is
concluded that the rural community has potential for tourism as a complementary
activity for socioeconomic development, however it needs to train and
professionalize the activity.