Abstract
Tourism and urbanization have controlled Quintana Roo’s economy for decades. Of all of Mexico’s states, Quintana Roo is the most popular tourism destination. The state has been funding major infrastructure projects with the desire to accommodate a growing populace and a thriving tourism industry. Proposed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) in 2018, the latest project known as the Tren Maya, aims to connect the Yucatán Peninsula to the existing Mexican railway system. However, this ongoing mega-infrastructure project is expected to yield unprecedented effects that will change the composition of the region’s landscape. Despite its anticipated economic benefits, the Tren Maya is expected to bring drastic changes to Quintana Roo’s landscape and tourism industry. This problem is prevalent to the region as the natural landscape is exponentially affected by the pressures of urbanization and tourism. This study provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the train on the region’s landscape. Specifically, we assess environmental factors such as forest cover density, deforestation, fragmentation, land use changes and disruption to wildlife. In addition, we examine socioeconomic factors by placing emphasis on the local economy, growth in tourism, new train stations as nuclei of development poles, and the disparities that may arise from these establishments across the state. This research explores these impacts comprehensively, emphasizing how land use changes induced by the Tren Maya have and will continue to affect Quintana Roo. The results may serve to inform long-term assessments and guide future management strategies.
Presenters
Gabriel MontecchiStudent, Masters, Florida International University, Florida, United States Carolin Lusby
Associate Professor, Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Florida International University, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Mega Infrastructure, Land use changes, Deforestation, Fragmentation, Wildlife Disruption, Tourism
