Social perception of tourism use in protected natural areas

Abstract

Social perception can be an influential factor in the creation, promotion and implementation of public policies for the use of natural spaces with tourist use. The overall objective of the study was to evaluate the most influential factors in the social perception of residents of the island of Cozumel about the tourist use of Protected Natural Areas. A quantitative approach was applied, with the survey technique and a representative random sample by conglomerates, to evaluate the perception of impacts towards nature, sustainable use and tourism, with a model of structural equations. The results reveal a negative perception on the tourist use of the Protected Natural Areas, but the economic benefits and a social concern for conservation are recognized. It is concluded that economic benefits are the predominant factor in the social perception of the population of Cozumel. It is suggested that public policies for tourism development should encourage educational programs that explain the relation-ship between conservation and economic benefits.

Keywords
Perception; Tourism; Cozumel; Use; Protected Natural Areas