Sistema de indicadores base para turismo sustentable

Abstract

An enormous diversity if indicators systems exists to evaluate sustainable tourism practices. However, the high specialization of those indicators limits the use of them to different sector and types of the tourism destinations. The present thesis aims to create a indicator system applicable to all elements of the tourism sector, as well as to apply a pilot study in lodging establishments. This study looks to create a sustainable indicator system (SIBSTS) that can be used and interpreted easily by its users and particularly by lodging establishments. To create the SIBSTS a vast literature review was carried out, as well as a deep revision of the systems indicators of Costa Rica, Spain, and Mexico. Based on this review a new system of indicators was created using social, economic and environmental variables. The SIBSTS proposed has been applied in two pilot case studies: Bahía de Banderas and la Rivera Maya. Results show that the majority of hotels have more points in the environmental indicators in relation to the social and economic ones. The conclusion of the thesis is that it is possible to create a SIBSTS for all elements of tourism and as the pilot case studies show that it can be a useful tool for lodgings.