New Pueblos Mágicos as a Cultural Product: A Multicriteria Methodology for Creative Tourism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25145/j.pasos.2026.24.051Keywords:
creative tourism, cultural economy, OWA, Pueblos Mágicos, multicriteria methodology, territorial competitiveness, cultural heritage, tourism governanceAbstract
This article explores the relationships between heritage, identity, and territorial development in municipalities with a tourism vocation, cultural activity, and creative dynamics. It proposes an evaluation methodology for incorporating localities into Mexico's Pueblos Mágicos programme through the OWA method, a multicriteria tool that integrates quantitative variables and weights territorial, cultural, and tourism attributes to generate decision-making scenarios. The methodology was applied to municipalities in the state of Sinaloa by constructing an index of territorial tourism competitiveness, based on indicators such as service density, connectivity, cultural offerings, and perceived authenticity. The results demonstrate the model's capacity to rank destinations according to performance. The discussion suggests that this approach minimises discretion in nomination processes and enhances territorial coherence. It is concluded that OWA is suitable for contexts characterised by socioterritorial heterogeneity and structural constraints, offering a replicable technical tool to strengthen governance and improve the planning of cultural and tourism development.
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