The gentrification of Latin resort towns

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Quick, what do these three Latin American cities have in common: 1) San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 2) Antigua, Guatemala 3) Cartagena de Indias, Colombia?

Answer: They’re exquisite, colonial-era towns, islands of affluence in the middle of deprivation, that some worry are in danger of becoming private playgrounds for the wealthy and foreign tourists.

San Miguel and Antigua have been grappling with the trade-offs of their soaring popularity for years, and authors like Tony Cohan have written sensitively and perceptively about the delicate social ecosystems of these rare places.

The new kid on the block is Cartagena, a coastal Caribbean port, relatively safe by Colombian standards, with cobbled streets, resplendent architecture and a rich history that has made it a favorite of sight-seers and film makers. But as the Times reported in February, some fear that more cruise liners and soaring real estate prices linked to a construction boom are threatening the unique character of the so-called Heroic City, particularly its beautiful historic center.

Now the Colombian magazine Noventaynueve has weighed in with an editorial, arguing the need for better, more thoughtful planning by city officials in promoting Cartagena as a cultural destination -- and not just a destination for outside visitors. Among other points, the editorial says that the majority of Cartagena’s local residents are ‘ignorant of the festivals that are going on in our house.’ Further, it says that many of these cultural events occur at times of day, and are priced at levels, that are ‘little accessible for the majority.’

Any recent travelers out there care to comment?

Posted by Reed Johnson in Mexico City