The 2030 agenda and the goal of gender equality in tourism in Mexico

Abstract

This study examines the dynamics of gender equality, identified as one of the most significant Sustainable development Goals (SDGs) in the United Nations' 2030 Agenda, within the tourism sector in Mexico. This analysis focuses on the description of tourism activity and the performance of gender equality indicators during the fiveyear period from 2003 to 2018. For this analysis, data were sourced from the Economic Census of INEGI (National Institute of Statistics and Geography). Based on the classification of the 133 tourist destinations from the National System of Statistical Information of the Tourism Sector in Mexico (DATATUR) of the SECTUR (Mexican Ministry of Tourism), the 70 most representative tourist destinations for the country were selected for this research. The findings of the study indicate more elevated values of the gender equality index in interior cities and cultural destinations, contrasting with lower scores in one of the states most focused on tourism industry in Mexico. However, it is noteworthy that the growth dynamics of the gender equality index are more pronounced in the Yucatan peninsula and Baja California. In contrast, states hosting cultural destinations and traditional beaches exhibit a more moderate development pace in terms of gender equality. Furthermore, it is observed that the values of the gender equality index are higher in specific tourist destinations or municipalities, compared to the state averages in which they are located.