URBAN IMAGINARIES AND TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DIGITAL NARRATIVES IN SAN PEDRO CHOLULA: LIMITATIONS OF TOURISM DRIVEN BY THE PUEBLOS MÁGICOS PROGRAM

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between social media narratives and local urban growth through the framework in which these narratives are embedded, reproduced, and reinforced. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative aspects in the analysis of narratives surrounding San Pedro Cholula on the Facebook page Cholula Pueblo Mágico Comité Ciudadano, as well as semi-structured interviews with residents, government officials, and experts. The research problem driving this study is the concentration of tourism around heritage sites in the center of San Pedro Cholula, which contrasts with uncontrolled urban expansion and the deterioration of both heritage attractions and living conditions in the periphery. According to the San Pedro Cholula Urban Development Plan 2021-2024 (Gobierno de San Pedro Cholula, 2022), this dynamic raises questions about the relationship between neighborhoods and auxiliary juntas in relation to the touristified central area, how traditional communities perceive and interact with tourism, and which actors benefit from it.