The essays in this collection explore the history of tourism and its promotion and development throughout Latin American and the Caribbean in the twentieth century.

Guatemala, a country located in Central America, is known for its lush rainforests, stunning beaches, and breathtaking Mayan ruins. It is bordered by Mexico to the north and west, Belize to the northeast, Honduras to the east, and El Salvador to the southeast. The country’s capital is Guatemala City, which is also its largest city. With a population of over 18 million people, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America. Guatemala’s history is filled with a mix of Spanish colonialism, Mayan culture, and political unrest. It gained independence from Spain in 1821 and has gone through several periods of political upheaval, including a 36-year civil war that ended in 1996. Despite its struggles, Guatemala has a rich cultural heritage, which includes the ruins of ancient Mayan cities such as Tikal and Copán. It also has a vibrant indigenous culture, with over 20 languages spoken by various indigenous groups throughout the country.

Selling handicrafts to tourists has brought the Maya peoples of Guatemala into the world market. Vendors from rural communities now offer their wares to more than 500,000 international tourists annually in the marketplaces of larger cities such as Antigua, Guatemala City, Panajachel, and Chichicastenango. Like businesspeople anywhere, Maya artisans analyze the desires and needs of their customers and shape their products to meet the demands of the market. But how has adapting to the global marketplace reciprocally shaped the identity and cultural practices of the Maya peoples? Drawing on over a decade of fieldwork, Walter Little presents the first ethnographic study of Maya handicraft vendors in the international marketplace. Focusing on Kaqchikel Mayas who commute to Antigua to sell their goods, he explores three significant issues: how the tourist marketplace conflates global and local distinctions. how the marketplace becomes a border zone where national and international, developed and underdeveloped, and indigenous and non-indigenous come together. how marketing to tourists changes social roles, gender relationships, and ethnic identity in the vendors' home communities. Little's wide-ranging research challenges our current understanding of tourism's negative impact on indigenous communities. He demonstrates that the Maya are maintaining a specific, community-based sense of Maya identity, even as they commodify their culture for tourist consumption in the world market.

With its unique mix of theory, historical discussion, case studies, and contemporary analysis, this book provides a complete and detailed comprehension of the business environment in Central America, with a focus specifically on Guatemala. Identifying the key drivers of Central America economic growth and development, it outlines what must be done to take advantage of the opportunities as Guatemala moves into the future. This book will serve as a valuable resource for IB scholars and students seeking to learn more about the changing focus and interests of Central America, and the implications and opportunities this poses for global business interests.

Taking a global and multidisciplinary approach, The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Travel and Tourism examines the world travel and tourism industry, which is expected to grow at an annual rate of four percent for the next decade.

DIVAn interdisciplinary anthology on the largest, most populous nation in Central America, covering Guatemalan history, culture, literature and politics and containing many primary sources not previously published in English./div