Textile crafts as a cultural element of alternative tourism: The case of artisans of indigenous origin in Palenque, Chiapas.

Abstract

Mexico’s ethnic and cultural diversity attracts millions of tourists, representing an opportunity for stakeholders in the tourism sector. This research aimed to explore the challenges faced by women from indigenous peoples who create textile crafts as part of the cultural elements of alternative tourism. Using a case study method, this work investigated leaders’ experiences from textile artisan groups belonging to the Tzeltal and Ch’ol ethnic groups. The findings reveal that producing textile crafts offers a source of income for women from these two ethnicities. However, a gap in knowledge about the history and meaning of Ch’ol embroidery exists, primarily because most producers are of Tzeltal origin, which hampers the dissemination of the textile’s cultural attraction to visitors.