IMAGINARIES OF THE LANDSCAPE. THE PROCESS OF IMAGING THE LOCAL PORTOMORELAN LANDSCAPE FOR TOURISM: SYMBOLIC PUGNAS AND RESISTANCES

Abstract

As of its appointment as a municipality in 2016, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, began a process of "putting into image" of its local landscape for tourism. This corresponds to a touristification process that has collected elements of the local landscape, superimposing a new narrative “the window to the sea”. In this reconfiguration, elements that constitute local landscapes have been weakened, causing a conflict of representativeness with those who have built a relationship with the environment and have meant it from their stories, experiences and events. That is, in Puerto Morelos transformations are carried out to make it more desirable for tourists, so it is interesting in this work to know how these transformations are perceived, interpreted, experienced, and lived through the recovery of the narrative of its local inhabitants, resident tourists, and tourist entrepreneur-. Two main situations are identified in the narratives, the great exposure to tourism that the town has had after its appointment as Municipality and second, the population growth that has been exponential in recent years and has generated a demand for housing and a large number of residential developments. These events have modified the imaginary landscape of Puerto Morelos, which is tinged with a feeling of loss, dispossession and deterioration.