Social Priorities and Perceptions of Tourism’s Transformative Role among Undergraduate Tourism Students in Northwestern Mexico: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

This study examined how undergraduate tourism students prioritised social problems and interpreted tourism’s potential contribution to social transformation after a project-presentation activity in northwestern Mexico. A quantitatively dominant convergent mixed-methods survey combined closed items with three brief open responses. The source contained 497 submissions; the primary analysis retained the latest complete response from 472 unique participants aged 18-22. Project endorsements, perceived clarity, perceived contribution, and emotions were summarised with confidence intervals and explored using permutation tests, effect sizes, sensitivity analyses, and computer-assisted Spanish-language lexical content analysis. Forced disappearance received the most endorsements (27.3%), followed by gender inequality (21.6%), organised crime/safe tourism (20.8%), and LGBTQ+ inclusion (18.6%). Most participants reported clear understanding (91.3%) and full perceived contribution to vulnerable groups (79.2%). Clarity was positively associated with perceived contribution (Kendall’s tau-b = .35). Hope, indignation, and motivation predominated; sadness varied across project groups after correction for multiple comparisons. Open responses repeatedly connected support, community, victims, transformation, economic generation, and tourism as a tool. The findings document immediate student perceptions rather than learning gains, project effectiveness, or population attitudes. They show the value of integrating social vulnerability, institutional responsibility, and critical reflection within tourism curricula in specific educational contexts.