Community-based ecotourism to meet the new tourist's expectations: an exploratory study

 
Case 3: The Zapotec community in Ventanilla, state of Oaxaca, Mexico 
(Avila Foucat, 2002) 
 
Ventanilla is located in the state of Oaxaca on the southern Pacific coast of Mexico. Oaxaca is the 
state which has the greatest ethnic and biological diversity but also a significant level of poverty. 
Ventanilla comprises 19 families for a total population of 97 people. The Zapotec represent the 
ethnic group of origin but today, only two elderly people still speak the language.
The area has a single ecosystem, the mangrove swamp and a particular fauna made up of 
crocodiles and marine turtles. The tourists who visit Ventanilla are most often backpackers and 
tourists taking part in an organized tour of the villages of the area. Community-based ecotourism 
works thanks to a cooperative (“Cooperativa de Servicios Ecoturisticos Ventanilla”) founded 
with the help of non-governmental organizations but only members of the community are 
responsible for the cooperative. This cooperative manages all the ecotourism activities such as 
lodging and catering. The operating process is collective and incomes are equally distributed 
between members of the community. For half of the families, ecotourism is the main income. The 
community gave itself the mission of preserving the richness of their territory and is actively 
involved in the rehabilitation of the forest of the mangrove swamp with the help of governmental 
and non-governmental organizations as well as the University of the Sea. Each family is also 
involved in the protection of the marine turtle. Men are on patrol each night, on 4km of beach, to 
collect turtle eggs and to store them securely during the time of incubation, in order to prevent 
them from being stolen and sold. These patrols are voluntary and the tourists can take part in 
them. A center devoted to the marine turtle was created and tourists can come to get information 
on this species and also to take part in excursions by foot or by canoe. Ventanilla is in charge of a 
network of 17 communities engaged in actions of protecting the fauna and the flora and in 
particular, protection of the turtle on the pacific coast. It welcomes volunteers (Mexicans 
students, scholar groups, foreigners) who come to help or learn, according to their competencies.