The informal tourism economy, COVID-19 and socioeconomic vulnerability in Mexico

Abstract

The great majority of people in developing countries depend on the informal economy for their livelihoods. In countries that rely heavily on tourism, pandemics and related confinements make these individuals even more socioeconomically vulnerable. This paper critically explores the immediate socioeconomic effects on the informal tourism economy of confinement measures associated with the corona virus-19 pandemic, as seen from a social vulnerability perspective. Mexico is one of the countries that depends the most on tourism and the informal economy, so this nation was selected for an exploratory case study. The results suggest that many workers in the informal tourism sector were affected immediately by – and their vulnerability increased because of – pandemic-related confinements. These restrictive measures’ imposition on the entire population highlighted Mexico’s deep social inequalities. Recommendations are offered of how to protect vulnerable individuals involved in the informal tourism economy.