Title

State Tourism, Labour Mobilities, and Remittance Potentials within Huatulco, Oaxaca

Abstract

This paper examines how state tourism agencies may adjust to and capitalise on changing socio-economic conditions within tourism host communities. Ethnographic data from Huatulco, Oaxaca frame the discussion as they illustrate how state tourism development engendered complex international labour mobilities. Emigration from Huatulco centred on finding economic stability, whereby remittances sent from the USA enabled Huatulco families to purchase land, build homes, increase savings, or start businesses. It is suggested that state development agencies work to evaluate and respond to nested and coupled forms of change within tourism initiatives. In Huatulco's case state tourism development affected the formation of labour mobilities and remittance sending strategies, yet these changing socio-economic and labour arrangements simultaneously offer potential monetary flows that could strengthen regional development if supported through appropriate state policies.

Department(s)

Sociology and Anthropology

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1504/ijta.2012.052538

Publication Date

2012

Journal Title

International Journal of Tourism Anthropology

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