Resumo: Although the tourism industry has been of great importance for the Mexican economy in recent years, the socio-environmental impact of this economic activity is high. This article explores a particular aspect of the environmental effect of tourism: the carbon footprint produced by international flights in the case of one of the most important sun and beach tourist destinations in Mexico, namely Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. The objective of this study is to estimate the carbon footprint of international flights and their economic cost. The material that was used was the ICAO emission calculator, this emission calculator enables the approximate footprint for each flight to Puerto Vallarta to be calculated and, in turn, the carbon footprint per person and the total carbon footprint generated. The results found are significant for the tourism industry, specifically the International Air Transport Association (IATA). They reveal that the flow of flights to Puerto Vallarta has increased and as a consequence the environmental impact is high. As result of this research, we consider it necessary to implement a cost distribution model among airlines, establish new market conditions according to the demand elasticity of tourism services and implement a forest conservation policy in order to protect the environment.
