The Political Economy of Tourism in Chichicastenango, Guatemala

• In Event: 473 - Section on Political Economy of the World-System Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 06. Tourism and Human Capital

Abstract

For the people of Chichicastenango, the tourist industry represents a means of achieving economic prosperity. While many argue that the indigenous population of Chichicastenango resists outside influence, it is clear that the influx of foreigners and foreign capital shapes many aspects of the lives of the local population. Very few people living in the municipality have remained untouched by tourism whether in the form of direct interaction with visitors, production of handicrafts for sale, or the building of infrastructure to support tourist visits. The twice weekly overcrowding, traffic jams, environmental noise and air pollution, and the accumulation of trash which the municipal government does not have the means to dispose, also impacts the citizens of Chichicastenango including those who are not directly involved with the tourist industry. Profits garnered from the twice-weekly market are not evenly distributed in and this structural inequality constitutes a form of violence that impacts many towns of the global south as they become incorporated into the world system as sites for cultural tourism. This paper addresses globalization, the coloniality of power and theories of structural violence as they relate to the Guatemalan municipality of Chichicastenango. Local perceptions on the tourist market, the environment and changes in cultural practices are contextualized in terms of historical patterns, expectations for a better life and development theory which suggests tourism as a major vehicle for economic growth.

Author

• Helen Sharon Jolly, State University of New York-Stony Brook