ABSTRACT
Community-based tourism can contribute social, economic and environmental sustainability in locations with a strong Indigenous background. This paper presents the case of Santa María del Tule, a village located in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. This region is highly biodiverse and culturally rich, and therefore is one of the most visited in the country. A millenary tree known as the Tule is the most important tourist asset in the village, and the origin of the town’s name too. This tree species (Taxodium mucronatum) is the Mexican national tree. The giant specimen at Santa María del Tule was placed on a tentative list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in 2001. The objective of this paper is to analyse the measures taken by the community of Santa María del Tule to manage the tourist flows, to preserve their natural and cultural heritage and improve the town’s urban design. Relevant theoretical topics are social analysis and community attachment and participation. It is interesting to note that the town is self-governed and organised by uses and customs. Actions taken include the pedestrianisation of the street to the Tule tree, creation of a cycle path to the state’s capital, control of visitor numbers, service of tourist guides by the community’s children, creation of a gastronomic market and an arts and crafts market and regulation of water supply, pollution and aggressive species. Methods applied in this research include direct observation, key informants interviews and analysis of policy documents. The presentation of this case study is useful as a good practice for Indigenous communities dealing with deterioration of natural heritage caused by mass tourism.
