Community conservation in Punta Laguna: A case of adaptive ecotourism management

Punta Laguna is a small Yucatec Mayan community situated in the northeastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula. This community has more than 30 years of experience in community conservation through the development of activities related to ecotourism. During this period, the community has consecutively employed different ecotourism management approaches: (1) family business, (2) cooperative organization, (3) entrepreneurial tourism management by an outside agency, and (4) cooperative organization with entrepreneurial know-how. By describing the characteristics of each management experience, we reveal how the community has learned from experience, and how this learning has led them to (1) modify exclusionary behaviors, (2) increase the importance of local decision-making, and (3) implement entrepreneurial attitudes towards managing their community conservation initiative. This process has been characterized by complexity and conflict among community members and other stakeholders. The process has also been influenced by external disturbances such as hurricanes, global economic crises, and pressures resulting from regional tourism development.