Perceptions and Consequences of Socioenvironmental Vulnerability Due to Tropical Cyclones in Los Cabos, Mexico

Abstract

Climate change has resulted in severe consequences of hydrometeorological phenomena. The municipality of Los Cabos, Mexico, has been the most affected in the state of Baja California Sur by these hazards due to its location on the southern tip of the peninsula, being exposed with approximately 192 km of coastline; it is an environmental heritage that has made the area a primary tourist attraction in Mexico, which has caused a rapid growth in population with little knowledge about cyclone activity. In addition, there is limited knowledge regarding social indicators that measure vulnerability due to tropical cyclones. Based on the above, the objective of this study was to capture community perceptions about vulnerability related to tropical cyclones and to compare the results with real impacts and their index of socioenvironmental vulnerability, which includes indicators of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity, to provide useful information to form strategies to mitigate risk. Data were collected through a questionnaire-survey in 335 randomly selected households; we applied a probability model to the perception analysis and calculated an index to categorize vulnerability. We found differences between perceptions and real affectations, with 64% of households categorized as being highly vulnerable to tropical cyclones, and we detected a lower perception about damage suffered to their households. The variables related to knowledge and local or foreigner status were predictors of vulnerability perception. We included georeferenced data on flooding hazard maps as a strategy for adaptation.

Coastal Adaptation and Vulnerability Assessment in a Warming Future: A Systematic Review of the Tourism Sector

“…Research also suggests context matters, and that local conditions need to be understood before assessing the vulnerability and resilience of a specific tourist destination (Dogru et al, 2019). Local stakeholders were defined in the literature using various terms, which included: community members (Altschuler & Brownlee, 2016; Bennett et al, 2014; Westoby et al, 2020), tourists (Hein et al, 2009; Marshall et al, 2011; Ruan et al, 2020), tourism operators (Becken et al, 2014; Calgaro & Lloyd, 2008; Nalau et al, 2018), “vulnerable populations” (Bitsura-Meszaros et al, 2019; Marín-Monroy et al, 2021), and cities (Nicholls & Kebede, 2012), states, countries, or islands (Goujon & Hoarau, 2020; Huebner, 2012; Siegel et al, 2019; Sovacool, 2012). Regional vulnerabilities that were identified are especially noteworthy, as tourism markets and climate effects vary based on location (Scott et al, 2012).…”