Ecotourism in crisis: an analysis of the main obstacles for the sector's economic sustainability

ABSTRACT Ecotourism has been introduced in many areas with a high natural value to create a synergy between environmental conservation and local development. However, ecotourism initiatives that are socially and environmentally sustainable frequently struggle to achieve economic viability. The present paper takes a closer look at the factors that limit sustainable ecotourism development. It studies 19 ecotourism firms in Los Tuxtlas (Mexico). In this area, the ecotourism sector has been developing for three decades but recently has entered a state of crisis. The situation is analyzed by applying a multi-scale analysis framework, which classifies the obstacles in different thematic areas. Two main aspects are considered: the stakeholders involved and the spatial levels where the obstacles originate. The main aspects identified were the region's climate, a lack of promotion, poor road conditions, an economic crisis in the region's primary visitor market, and the Mexican public safety crisis.