Protected Areas, Tourism, and Rural Transition in Aysén, Chile

Heidi Blair, Keith Bosak and Trace Gale
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Heidi Blair: Department of Society and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
Keith Bosak: Department of Society and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
Trace Gale: Department of Society and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 24, 1-22

Abstract: Following global trends, nature-based tourism in the Aysén region of Chilean Patagonia has grown dramatically in recent years. This growth has challenged traditional economic activities derived from commodification of natural resources, including ranching, logging, and mining. A qualitative research study conducted in 2016–2017 used semi-structured interviews and focus groups to investigate how local residents perceived the changes that accompany rural development around the nationally protected area of Cerro Castillo, projected to be one of the region’s protected areas that will drive economic development through tourism in coming decades. Results identified several themes reminiscent of the rural transition that took place in the western United States in the mid to late-1900s. During this era, the remote, rugged, wild frontier lands of the sparsely populated intermountain west shifted from an economy grounded in extractive industries to a service-based one, geared towards amenity migrants and tourists seeking recreation opportunities and closeness to nature. Patterns and lessons are drawn between similar transitions across geographies and timescales, which may assist planners with understandings of trends and tendencies as tourism continues to influence rural transition in Patagonia.

Keywords: protected area; tourism; rural transition; perceptions of change; Patagonia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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