available support, even though the destination’s high rates of corruption may
ultimately discourage the source of potential funding. A method of transcending
this issue is to ensure that any funding programme is managed by international
agencies, as was the case with the recent successful Sagarpa-Patmir project
implemented by agencies from Canada, Germany and France (see Universidad
Autónoma de Guerrero 2014).
4.11 External Forces
Numerous ‘forces’ exist from outside the immediate sphere of a tourism destination
that can both encourage and threaten the development of its tourism capitals. At
present in Acapulco, the threats appear to be more substantial than the opportunities.
For example, there are various political and economic factors which are either
present or pose a risk, including political involvement in organised crime, US and
Canadian travel advisories that warn against visiting Acapulco, US President
Trump’s proposal to build a wall separating the two neighbours (which, according
to Cuskelly (2017), has already led to holiday cancellations), the restoring of
US-Cuba diplomatic relations and the declining value of the Mexican peso.
Notwithstanding such threats, the Mexican government’s national tourism plan of
2013–2018 provides guidance regarding the development of destination resources
(or capitals), which could aid in the development and exploitation of Acapulco’s
destination capitals. For instance, it contains strategies designed to improve cooperation among the three levels of government in Mexico that would serve to advance
political capital, while it also includes procedures devised to promote collaboration
with educational institutions that would facilitate the spread of technological knowledge (Sectur 2013).
4.12 Conclusion
Sharpley’s (2009) model offers a logical approach to tourism development, viewing
the destination as a form of capitalistic enterprise possessing a number of resources
which can generate sustainable economic and social benefits if exploited correctly.
The main objective of this chapter was to consider the model’s potential as a
development framework for a destination in decline, with Acapulco providing an
appropriate case study. Consequently, the application of the model demonstrated
that Acapulco’s tourism authorities are failing to exploit its tourism capitals, due
largely to the chronic ineffectiveness of their planning and development plans,
persistent resident discrimination, political instability and inability to attract sufficient investment. Nonetheless, it is concluded that the destination’s environmental
and cultural capitals offer the potential to stimulate a process of regeneration if
exploited efficiently. To do so would require a coordinated effort on the part of the
58
M. Speakman and A. D. Garay
ultimately discourage the source of potential funding. A method of transcending
this issue is to ensure that any funding programme is managed by international
agencies, as was the case with the recent successful Sagarpa-Patmir project
implemented by agencies from Canada, Germany and France (see Universidad
Autónoma de Guerrero 2014).
4.11 External Forces
Numerous ‘forces’ exist from outside the immediate sphere of a tourism destination
that can both encourage and threaten the development of its tourism capitals. At
present in Acapulco, the threats appear to be more substantial than the opportunities.
For example, there are various political and economic factors which are either
present or pose a risk, including political involvement in organised crime, US and
Canadian travel advisories that warn against visiting Acapulco, US President
Trump’s proposal to build a wall separating the two neighbours (which, according
to Cuskelly (2017), has already led to holiday cancellations), the restoring of
US-Cuba diplomatic relations and the declining value of the Mexican peso.
Notwithstanding such threats, the Mexican government’s national tourism plan of
2013–2018 provides guidance regarding the development of destination resources
(or capitals), which could aid in the development and exploitation of Acapulco’s
destination capitals. For instance, it contains strategies designed to improve cooperation among the three levels of government in Mexico that would serve to advance
political capital, while it also includes procedures devised to promote collaboration
with educational institutions that would facilitate the spread of technological knowledge (Sectur 2013).
4.12 Conclusion
Sharpley’s (2009) model offers a logical approach to tourism development, viewing
the destination as a form of capitalistic enterprise possessing a number of resources
which can generate sustainable economic and social benefits if exploited correctly.
The main objective of this chapter was to consider the model’s potential as a
development framework for a destination in decline, with Acapulco providing an
appropriate case study. Consequently, the application of the model demonstrated
that Acapulco’s tourism authorities are failing to exploit its tourism capitals, due
largely to the chronic ineffectiveness of their planning and development plans,
persistent resident discrimination, political instability and inability to attract sufficient investment. Nonetheless, it is concluded that the destination’s environmental
and cultural capitals offer the potential to stimulate a process of regeneration if
exploited efficiently. To do so would require a coordinated effort on the part of the
58
M. Speakman and A. D. Garay