Rural and Community Tourism: An Alternative in Postdevelopment

Tourism is one of the most characteristic social phenomena of the last fifty years, and its significance cannot be ignored due to the mobilization of goods and people it entails. It is a globalized activity closely linked to the territory. This paper addresses the dominant discourse surrounding the positive effects of tourism on economic growth, which has led to the invisibility of its impacts on the environment and society. This has sparked an ongoing debate that remains relevant. Therefore, the interest in exploring this phenomenon arises, starting from the question: Is tourism an activity that depletes the resources of regions, contributing to the elusive concept of infinite growth? It is known that economic development and the well-being of the population are not directly proportional variables; on the contrary, they often coexist in a way where a prosperous economy does not guarantee the minimum conditions of dignity and integral security for society.