Regional development and sustainability: cultural tourism in Southern Jalisco

Abstract

This study aims to determine the potential of cultural tourism in the municipalities that comprise region 6 of the State of Jalisco, Mexico, territorially delimited in the South of Jalisco. First, the demand for cultural tourism is identified to determine the profile of the cultural tourist, under the assumption that such tourists, especially motivated by culture, tend to travel longer distances than most tourists. Then, the motivations and satisfactions of cultural tourists are analyzed in order to establish the market potential in accordance with the characteristics of the target market in the Southern region of Jalisco. Any operation performed by cultural tourism companies should undergo a strategic diagnosis, which explains the use of SWOT analysis, a tool for the strategic planning of cultural tourism enterprises. Finally, some strategies for the development of cultural tourism in the region of Southern Jalisco are proposed.