Characterisation of ecotourism employment in a developing world destination

Abstract

Low-wage occupations, casual employment, low skill levels and gender segredated jobs have been commonly reported as characteristics of tourism employment. Bearing in mind that the type of tourism will significantly shape the attributes of employment for local people, it is observed that little is known about the characteristics of employment in ecotourism. This paper aims to contribute to fill this gap by describing the findings of an empirical investigation looking at the qualities of ecotourism employment at an ecotourism park in central Mexico. Through the use of qualitative methods, the study reveals that while some characteristics such as low wages and low qualifications are present in the park, other attributes, not commonly documented in the literature, such as male labour and child participation, are also characteristics of ecotourism employment in the destination. The paper concludes that the characteristics of tourism employment will vary among destinations and depend largely on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of each locality. Practical implications are also offered.