How Mexico's seaside towns were saved from 'death by tourism' | Sustainability

puerto escondido, mexico – With its idyllic beaches, lush greenery, and kaleidoscopic sunsets, it’s not hard to see why Puerto Escondido’s secluded tropical paradise has become so popular.

Tucked into the hip of the South Pacific in Mexico's Oaxaca region, this stretch of coastline is a mecca for surfers, bar-hoppers, and bohemian beachgoers. Wildlife is abundant, with pelicans perched on rocky outcrops, buzzards gliding overhead, turtles and dolphins in the water, and iguanas running around.

But with so many people choosing to experience this beach oasis, the town is facing a problem plaguing similar destinations around the world: the rise of tourism and its lack of preparation. facing.

Ten years ago, Puerto Escondido was a rather low-key place, largely out of the international spotlight, save for a few retirees from North America and surfers from Europe and Australia. But around that time, thanks in large part to a combination of Instagram's growing influence and word-of-mouth from a tourism boom across Mexico, a flurry of high-profile articles appeared about this remote Shangri-La.

Since then, the effects of the town's growing reputation have become clearly evident.

In March 2020, many people gathered in Puerto Escondido to wait out the coronavirus pandemic. The small town was crowded with Mexicans fleeing dense Mexico City and people from around the world fleeing their own countries' strict coronavirus restrictions in favor of Mexico's laxer approach. Borders remained open throughout the pandemic, but business closures and lockdowns continued. A relatively short period of time, inconsistent enforcement, and Oaxaca's quiet beaches.

This influx of temporary residents was a turning point for Puerto Escondido. There was an explosion of construction work, including hotels, restaurants, bars, and seedy dance clubs. The economic advantage of so-called “digital nomads” has led to higher rents and rising costs of living.

Over time, the community began to struggle to sustain itself in the face of unchecked tourism and development.

“It's just outgrown it a little bit,” says local graphic artist Orlando Salinas. He grew up visiting Puerto Escondido with his family, and since moving to Puerto Escondido in 2017, he has become involved with various community groups. Salinas said that while the rapid flow of tourists has brought economic benefits to industry players, “almost every other aspect has been negatively affected.”

“Over the past five years, Puerto Rico has seen an increase in unsustainable tourism due to a lack of proper management and regulation, with significant impacts on the environment and the local economy,” a communication from the nonprofit organization Save the Waves said.・Coordinator Emmett Barazon says: Founded to protect surfing ecosystems around the world.

This situation has resulted in “inadequate wastewater infrastructure, erosion problems associated with development, and a lack of legal protection for some of the region's critical habitats.”

Over the years, several efforts have come together to address these issues, and recently activists have won important victories in their attempts to ease various burdens on tourism.

The battle involved the region's last pristine beach, a wildlife-rich, lagoon-ringed cove known as Playa Punta Colorada, which had been targeted by developers. The fight to protect it goes back more than a decade, and its story is largely at the center of community advocacy for more sustainable tourist regulations.

The first threat to Punta Colorada came in 2011, when authorities announced construction of a pier. Opponents argued that this would destroy adjacent beaches, lagoons, and coral reefs, and eventually formed a group with the name Salvemos (“Save”) Colorada. They had the upper hand then, and a second attempt to revive the dock project emerged in 2021. But the greatest danger was yet to come.

“New concerns arose when the state government announced new development projects in August 2023,” explains Salvemos Colorada member Almendra Gómezleiva Melchor. The plan included the construction of a shopping center, a budget hotel, a luxury residential area and four all-inclusive hotels.

“This news has once again endangered Punta Colorada's ecosystem,” Melchor added.

And, as Balazon points out, the negative effects were not just local, but had wider-reaching effects. “Playa Colorada is one of the last remaining coastal ecosystems in this region of Oaxaca and contains mangrove forests that are key to combating climate change.”

Salvemos Colorada joined a coalition of groups opposed to the development, including Save the Waves, Costa Unida, the Oaxaca Conservation Fund, and finally SOS Puerto. The last of these is playing an increasingly important role in advocating for local tourism and environmental regulation.

SOS

SOS Puerto was founded spontaneously in 2022 when founder Andrea Ezquerra noticed a newly fenced area at Bacocho, one of the town's less developed beaches. was formed. Although there were already several hotels and beach clubs, this particular stretch of sand tends to be quieter and more frequented by locals than noisy tourists. Foreigners who do visit usually come to participate in the hatchling release program. The lush forest space between Bakocho and Colorada is home to turtles, crocodiles, and many other species.

The area was threatened by plans to build 80 luxury apartments. Ezquerra questioned the plan at a meeting held by the state water board and attended by the city president and city council members to discuss the complex. This garnered support from her fellow attendees and named her representative of Bacocho, Colorado, and another adjacent beach, Coral.

“A few days later they started removing sand with trucks,” she recalls. She said: “She tried to stop the truck while sending a message on a Whatsapp group asking for help, and as more citizens started arriving, we blocked the road for four days.”

Road and highway blockades are a common tactic among various protest groups in the region, with varying degrees of success. In this case it worked. The project was discontinued, and as a result, SOS Puerto became recognized as the voice of the community. Currently, she has around 14,000 followers on Instagram. This is an astonishing number considering the town's population is three times that of hers.

Salinas, a local artist, says the reason SOS has such wide support among residents is that “they have achieved many of the goals they set for themselves.” Especially lately. ”

new threat

The “recent” refers to the latest threats looming over Punta Colorada: the aforementioned shopping centers and hotels. Once again, anti-development groups joined forces to protect the beach.

“This ecosystem is extremely important,” Melchor explains. “In addition to being one of the most important waves for bodyboarding, there are wetlands with white and red mangroves, protected animals such as leatherback turtles and crocodiles, a variety of migratory birds, mammals, coral reefs, and even geological formations. Even the wreckage.”

Additionally, the proposed complex would close public beach access, depriving residents of Puerto Escondido's last pristine beach.

“Access to that beach will be completely privatized by the big hotel chains,” Ezquerra said.

To make matters worse, it was discovered that due to inadequate tourism infrastructure, water treatment plants adjacent to the beaches were overflowing and wastewater was flowing directly into the sea. The coalition's efforts therefore have three elements: improving sanitation, preventing beach privatization, and halting ecosystem modification.

The fight began with peaceful demonstrations, online petitions and requests to meet with the governor and other politicians, and has taken the streets to the courts, but to no avail.

“Seeing that the government persisted in its Punta Colorada development plan, we took legal action and filed a class action lawsuit asserting our right to a healthy environment,” Melchor said. .

The group gathered about 300 signatures, enough to convince a judge to suspend the building permit.

“Right now, we cannot sell or privatize the area,” Ezquerra said.

But while this victory is promising, the battle is far from over. The judge's order is only temporary.

“We are still in the middle of a court case waiting for a verdict,” Melchor said, explaining that the coalition is reviewing the conservation proposal with the ministries of environment and tourism. “We hope the government understands the importance of preserving Punta Colorada.”

Advocates for the Colorada complex, including state and local officials, did not respond to requests for comment.

big question

The battle over Colorada suggests a broader question: How will Puerto Escondido respond in the face of a rapid influx of tourists?

Ezquerra emphasizes that the coalition is not against tourism.

“Our fight is against inequality and the lack of investment and planning in the face of growth,” she says. Strong investments in infrastructure are needed to sustain growth and ensure access to waste-free clean water, beaches, oceans, transportation, health and safety. ”

“Puerto Escondido’s growth since the pandemic has been exponential,” Melchor said. However, this is not reflected in infrastructure development. ”

As a result, towns are facing increased wastewater spills, power outages, water shortages, and traffic problems, as well as new social problems such as gentrification, evictions, and land dispossession caused by rapidly rising housing prices and costs. ” she added. Regarding life. Of life.

So what can Puerto Escondido do to address these issues?

Among the various solutions being proposed, Melchor said key elements include investing in basic service infrastructure such as drainage systems and treatment facilities, as well as ensuring money stays in the region and tax security. These include regulations on construction, housing density and vacation rentals to ensure that they are paid for. Collected for reinvestment in the community.

Supporters of these actions say they will not only protect the town, but also ensure its status as a thriving tourist destination.

“This area will continue to grow,” Barassone said. “So by adopting these changes now, we can ensure Puerto maintains the natural treasures that have attracted surfers and tourists from around the world.”

global considerations

Puerto Escondido isn't the only city struggling to cope with a surge in tourists. Residents in destinations around the world, from Chiang Mai, Thailand to Medellin, Colombia, Bali to Barbados, and Lisbon, Portugal to Hoi An, Vietnam, are facing similar problems. And as the number of travelers and location-independent workers continues to grow, this issue will become even more pressing.

According to those fighting in Puerto Escondido, solutions will come from dedicated community organizations.

“We have done a good job of fostering a strong community,” Salinas said. “Almost everyone is involved in some kind of social project.”

“Change happens when communities come together at the grassroots level to develop long-term visions and long-term protection strategies for the places they love,” Barazon agrees.

If residents in similarly affected areas are to learn anything from the Puerto Escondido case, these activists advise them to put people before profits.

“Puerto Escondido's struggle can inspire other cities to come together and work as a community,” Melchor said. “I think we are an example that when we work together, we can accomplish seemingly impossible things, like stopping major construction and multibillion-dollar development.”

It all comes down to collective action.

“National unity is very important,” Esquerra asserts. “The power lies with the people, and it is we who decide what we want from our cities and destinations. Get involved, inform ourselves, and speak out when the interests of the few outweigh the needs of the people. It is important to raise it.”