El Turismo como una estrategia para el mundo en desarrollo: el Programa UNWTO. Volunteers

Abstract

In recent years, commitment to tourism as a development strategy for the developing world has gained an increased interest from the governments and development organizations in the fulfilment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. This paper looks to contribute to the theoretical discussion related to the diverse perspectives about the role of international development cooperation programs that use tourism as a main tool for development, as is the case of UNWTO.Volunteers Program. The main characteristics of this program are described and its potential results are discussed considering the impacts it may produce on the destination areas involved. This discussion is based upon an UNWTO.Volunteers Program case study, developed in the Mexican state of Chiapas in 2008.

Keywords

• Tourism
• Poverty
• Knowledge management
• International development assistance
• UNWTO.Volunteers Program
• Chiapas