TOURISM AND GENTRIFICATION IN MEXICAN HERITAGE CITIES: SOCIAL EXCLUSION THROUGH URBAN AND ARCHITECTURAL TRANSFORMATION IN WORLD HERITAGE SITES

Socio-spatial reality in several heritage centres in Mexico and Latin America reveals an undeniable fact: tourism has become a key element in their urban planning, development and sociocultural transformations. New urban directives adopted by some heritage cities governments lead spatial, social and political transformations to respond to the expectations of international middle classes with higher purchasing power than the original inhabitants and traditional users in the heritage centre. This paper explores the case of two Mexican cities: San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato. Methodologically, this research adopts a qualitative approach and analyses two of the most important manifestations of tourism as a driver of urban development in heritage centres: lifestyle migration and luxury tourism. Analysing those cities, I identify the main urban transformations caused by the touristic gentrification of heritage. Historical files of 22 protected buildings were used to observe alterations of function. Other methods included the use of statistic data and observations of commercial uses and public activities in four public squares and two tourist-commercial axes, were required in order to identify new consumption and exclusion practices. Ii si used the concept of a Touristic Gentrification which leads to the elitization of heritage cities, evidenced by luxury housing, boutique hotels, high-end retail accommodating luxury demands, art galleries and museums. This new class of owners and users of the heritage centre change the place's identity through their reinterpretations of customs and architecture. As result the city excludes users from popular social class.