Sustainability for the preservation of the firefly sanctuary in Nanacamilpa Tlaxcala

Abstract

The latest trend in tourism is for tourists to be on the lookout for unique and enriching experiences where they can reconnect with Nature. This has meant a boost for ecotourism. There is an abundance of natural "sanctuaries" in the world that are currently at risk. One of these is the firefly sanctuary in the Nanacamilpa forest in Tlaxcala, one of only two in the world where fireflies have the correct environment to reproduce in mass, with the other in New Zealand, thus offering a unique experience of the wonders of Nature. The present research adopted the approach of ecological tourism where the end is to educate both locals and tourists in respect for the environment toward sustainable preservation and responsible development. The immediate objective was to identify whether the sanctuary in Nanacamilpa was sustainable or not using the three original vectors or hypotheses proposed by the UNWTO. The results corroborated that the three hypotheses offer sufficient of a moderately positive correlation with sustainability. Our research provides theoretical, methodological, social and tourist economic information, using the sustainability model proposed by the UNWTO, that posits three variables (social, economic and environmental sustainability). The alternative hypothesis H0 was compared with this model and taken one step further: The existence of sustainability in the sanctuary of the firefly as a guarantee for its future preservation. Regarding the working hypotheses (social, economic and environmental sustainability), it is found that all three provide favourable evidence, with all variables directly proportionate allowing for the interpretation of moderate positive correlation with sustainability.