Culinary tourism in natural protected areas: The case of the Cuxtal Ecological Reserve in Yucatan, Mexico

Ana Laura González-Alejo; Christoph Neger

doi:10.3986/AGS.11332

Authors

Ana Laura González-Alejo Postdoctoral researcher of the National Council of Science and Technology, Institute of Geography, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3446-8093
Christoph Neger Institute of Geography, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5210-5005

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.11332

Keywords:

culinary tourism, culinary mapping, food mapping, natural protected areas, Yucatan, Cuxtal, Mexico

Abstract

The Cuxtal Ecological Reserve is located in the urban periphery of Merida. This reserve represents an element of tourist interest due to the diversity of tourist resources, although these have not been recognized yet. In addition, most of the local population has traditional culinary knowledge, which is little explored from a tourist perspective. This article proposes to identify the culinary resources of the reserve to elaborate a culinary map. The study is based on in-depth interviews with residents to assess their culinary knowledge, visitor surveys, and the field´s traditional food and agricultural product mapping. The results show that it has the potential to develop culinary tourism. Gastronomy can play an important role in boosting the local economy and conserving culinary identity among the inhabitants under the pressure of ultra-processed food from Merida.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Acle-Mena, R., Santos-Díaz, J., Herrera-López, B. 2020: La gastronomía tradicional como atractivo turístico de la ciudad de Puebla, México. Revista de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación 10-2.

Andersson, T., Mossberg, L., Therkelsen, A. 2017: Food and tourism synergies: Perspectives on consumption, production and destination development. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 17-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2016.1275290

Ayuntamiento de Mérida 2017: Modificación del Programa de Manejo de la Zona Sujeta a Conservación Ecológica Reserva Cuxtal, Yucatán, México. Mérida.

Beer, C., Ottenbacher, M., Harrington, R. 2012: Food tourism implementation in the black forest destination. Journal of Culinary Science and Technology 10-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15428052.2012.677601

Bertella, G. 2020: Re-thinking sustainability and food in tourism. Annals of Tourism Research 84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2020.103005

Bessière, J. 1998: Local development and heritage: Traditional food and cuisine as tourist attractions in rural areas. Sociologia Ruralis 1-38.

Booysen, I., Du Rand, G. 2019: Culinary mapping: A gastronomic tourism planning tool. The Routledge Handbook of Gastronomic Tourism. London, New York.

Briedenhann, J., Wickens, E. 2004: Tourism routes as a tool for the economic development of rural areas -vibrant hope or impossible dream? Tourism Management 25-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(03)00063-3

Castillo, E., Santoyo, V., Muñoz, M., Rodríguez, B. 2018: Patrimonio gastronómico y desarrollo local en dos Pueblos Mágicos de México. Revista Iberoamericana de Viticultural, Agroindustria y Ruralidad 5-15.

Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas 2018: Marco Estretégico de Turismo Sustentable en Áreas Naturales Protegidas de México. Mexico City.

Contreras, D., Medina, X. 2021: Turismo gastronómico, productos agroalimentarios típicos y denominaciones de origen. Posibilidades y expectativas de desarrollo en México. Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research 4-1.

Cruz, J. 2008: Turismo active na parte natural da Serra da Estrela. Criação de rotas temáticas Master´s Thesis, Universidade da Beira Interior. Covilhã.

Du Rand, G. E., Booysen, I., Atkinson, D. 2016: Culinary mapping and tourism development in South Africa´s Karoo region. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure 5-4.

Eagles, P., McCool, S. 2002: Planning for tourism in national parks and protected areas: Principles and concepts. Tourism in National Parks and Protected Areas: Planning and Management. London. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851995892.0071

Eastham, J. 2019: Sustainable supply chains in gastronomic tourism. The Routledge Handbook of Gastronomic Tourism. New York.

Fernandes, C., Richards, G. 2021: Developing gastronomic practices in the Minho region of Portugal. Acta geographica Slovenica 61-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.9370

Hall, M., Mitchell, R. 2002: Tourism as a force for gastronomic globalization and localization. New York.

Hashimoto, A., Telfer, D. J. 2006: Selling Canadian culinary tourism: Branding the global and the regional product. Tourism Geographies 8-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14616680500392465

Hernández Cuevas, F., Bracho Illescas, A. V., Loanca Rodríguez, K. G., Manus Gómez, M. P. 2019: Contingent valuation of the hydric resource: the case of the Ecological Reserve of Cuxtal, Yucatán. Revista Interamericana de Ambiente y Turismo 15-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-235x2019000100014

Hjalager, A., Johansen, P. H. 2013: Food tourism in protected areas – sustainability for producers, the environment and tourism? Journal of Sustainable Tourism 21-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2012.708041

Hjalager, A., Richards, G. 2002: Tourism and gastronomy. The Routledge Handbook of Gastronomic Tourism. New York. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315147628

Hunter, C., Green, H. 1995: Tourism and the environment: A sustainable relationship? London.

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía 2021: Censo de Población y Vivienda 2020.

Jiménez, J., López-Guzmán, T., González Santa-Cruz, F. 2016: Gastronomy and tourism: Profile and motivation of international tourism in the city of Cordoba, Spain. Journal of Culinary Science and Technology 14-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15428052.2016.1160017

Karim, S., Chi, C. 2010: Culinary tourism as a destination attraction: An empirical examination of destinations’ food image. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management 19-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2010.493064

Kumar, S. 2019: Gastronomic tourism: A theoretical construct. The Routledge Handbook of Gastronomic Tourism. New York.

Lara, I., García, C. 2016: Determinación del índice de competitividad del destino turístico: Mérida. Casos de Investigación Turística Aplicada en México. Tuxtla Gutiérrez.

Ledinek Lozej, Š., Razpotnik Visković, N. 2022: Branding, labeling and certification. Geographical and anthropological insights. Acta geographica Slovenica 62-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.11265

Logar, E. 2022: Place branding as an approach to the development of rural areas: A case study of the brand “Babica in Dedek” from the Škofja Loka Hills, Slovenia. Acta geographica Slovenica 62-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.10883

Long, L. 1998: Culinary tourism: A folkloristic perspective on eating and otherness. Southern Folklore 55-3.

Lópes, T. 2018: Valorização do turismo na natureza na gestão de áreas naturais periurbanas. Ph.D Thesis, Universidad de Lisboa. Lisbon.

López-Guzmán, T., Sánchez, S. M. 2012: La gastronomía como motivación para viajar. Un estudio sobre el turismo culinario en Córdoba. Pasos. Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural 10-5. DOI: https//doi.org/10.25145/j.pasos.2012.10.072

Marek, A., Wiśniewska, A. 2021: Culinary tourism in Lower Silesia (Poland) in 2014–2017. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites 34-1. DOI: https//doi.org/10.30892/gtg.34130-641

Martínez, L. E. 2023: Food patrimonialization in rural-urban territories in Mexico from neo-endogenous development. Cuadiernu 11.

Martorell, A. 2003: Cultural routes: Tangible and intangible dimensions of cultural heritage. Proceedings of the 14th ICOMOS General Assembly and International Symposium: Place, memory, meaning: Preserving intangible values in monuments and sites. Victoria Falls.

Nelson, V. 2016: Peru's image as a culinary destination. Journal of Cultural Geography 33-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08873631.2016.1153269

Paz, R., Quiñonez, A. 2021: Preámbulo. Evolución económica del turismo en Yucatán 2006–2018. Península 16-2.

Quan, S., Wang, N. 2004: Towards a structural model of the tourist experience: An illustration from food experiences in tourism. Tourism Management 25-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(03)00130-4

Razpotnik Visković, N., Komac, B. 2021: Gastronomy tourism: A brief introduction. Acta geographica Slovenica 61-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.10258

Razpotnik Visković, N., Logar, E. 2022: Certification, labelling and branding in tourism research: systematic review. Acta geographica Slovenica 62-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.10858

Reyes-May, O., Rodríguez-Cih, J., Alonzo-Báez, W., Pérez-Dzib, C. 2019: Las cantinas de Yucatán: Turismo y cultura gastronómica. Progessio. Perspectivas científicas del Poniente de Yucatán. Mexico City.

Rinaldi, C. 2017: Food and gastronomy for sustainable place development: a multidisciplinary analysis of different theoretical approaches. Sustainability 9-10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su9101748

Sachs, J., Schmidt-Traub, G., Mazzucato, M., Messner, D., Nakicenovic, N., Rockström, J. 2019: Six transformations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Nature Sustainability 2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0352-9

Salcedo, M. P., San Martin, F. 2012: Turismo y sustentabilidad: Paradigma de desarrollo entre lo tradicional y lo alternative. Gestión y Estrategia 41.

Sims, R. 2009: Food, place and authenticity: Local food and the sustainable tourism experience. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 17-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580802359293

Sorcaru, I. A. 2019: Gastronomy tourism – A sustainable alternative for local economic development. Annals of “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati 1. Economics and Applied Informatics 25-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35219/eai1584040912

Spilková, J., Fialová, D. 2013: Culinary tourism packages and regional brands in Czechia. Tourism Geographies 15-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2012.726268

Stanford, D. 2006: Responsible tourism, responsible tourist: What makes a responsible tourist in New Zealand? Ph.D Thesis, Victoria University of Wellington. Wellington.

Topole, M., Pipan, P., Gašperič, P., Geršič, M., Kumer, P. 2021: Culinary events in the Slovenian countryside: Visitors’ motives, satisfaction, and views of sustainability. Acta geographica Slovenica 61-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.7617

UNEP, WTO 2005: Making tourism more sustainable. A guide for policy makers. Paris.

World commission on environment and development 1987: Our common future: Brundtland report. Oxford.

Yang, Z., Cai, J., Sliuzas, R. 2010: Agro-tourism enterprises as a form of multi-functional urban agriculture for peri-urban development in China. Habitat International 34-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2009.11.002

Zhang, T., Chen, J., Hu, B. 2019: Authenticity, quality, and loyalty: Local food and sustainable tourism experience. Sustainability 11-12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123437

Zimmermann, F. 2016: Nachhaltigkeit wofür? Von Chancen und Herausforderungen für eine nachhaltige Zukunft. Was ist Nachhaltigkeit – eine Perspektivenfrage? Berlin.