Tourism, gastronomy and sustainability in world heritage sites. The Enhacement of the gastronomy of agroecological products as a tourist alternative for environmental recovery in the chinampas of Xochimilco (Mexico City)

Around 20 million people inhabit the metropolitan area of Mexico City, located at the bottom of an endorheic basin, originally occupied by a system of wetlands, today almost completely dried up. In the Xochimilco area, however, within the urban perimeter of Mexico City, a unique ancestral agri-food production system persists, and even today: the chinampa system, also called chinampería. It is also one of the most important internal tourist destinations in Mexico City. The agri-food production of Xochimilco is a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO and contributes to the sustainability of both the urban wetland and the city. In this proposal, we address the evolution and attempts to rescue the system in recent years, especially through the "chinampa-refuge" model, as an interdisciplinary effort to strengthen traditional agroecological practices and ecological restoration. The model has improved local water quality, increased suitable habitat for native aquatic biodiversity, and favored traditional agroecological practices, thereby improving the quality and safety of food products. Finally, we will comment on the latest measures taken to try that the products of the chinampa can be valued, marketed and reach the consumers of Mexico City, with a special emphasis on the local markets, the gastronomic tourism of the area and some selected urban restaurants, which can serve as a flag and guide for the recovery and commercialization of those products.