The tourist industry has been an important factor for the development of communities and countries but its repercussions to the environment and to the cultural and social heritage can be harmful for destinations if there´s not a clear strategy to counterpart them. Mazatlán as a tourist destination is now embracing sustainability as a long-term strategy to maintain its resources in the future. As part of this strategy the program “sustainable hotels” has come up involving the private and the official sector along with some NGO´s; this program has been successful as many hotels are now innovating trying to get recognition as a sustainable business. This multiple case research with a QUAN-QUAL approach unfolds the insights of the innovation process for sustainability and its results in three hotels enrolled in the program,highlighting the most important factors needed to become a sustainable business in the hospitality sector.
