La experiencia turístico-cultural de los visitantes en los museos del sombrero de paja toquilla de Cuenca-Ecuador, 2017-2018

Abstract

The toquilla straw hat Museums are part of the cultural tourism offer in the city of Cuenca-Ecuador. In this context, the present research determines the main characteristics of the tourist experience and cultural visitors to the following institutions: Museum of the Toquilla Straw Hat, the Hat Magic Museum and Municipal Econo-museum House of the Hat. The methodology of study is qualitative since it has employed the technique of content analysis by assigning codes to the visitors` comments recorded in the books of visits of the three museums involved, during the period from June 2017 to July 2018. On this basis, it was established that the knowledge acquired by the visitors was essentially historical and cultural heritage. These two major aspects were the most significant. With regard to the visitors` satisfaction within the sample, the result is positive. Visitors appreciate both the weaving of the toquilla straw hat, as well as the hat that is elaborated with it, highlighting the work of the craftsmen, the quality of the final product and its contribution to the memory and identity of the city of Cuenca-Ecuador. Thus, the toquilla straw hat weaving was inscribed on the Representative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2012, generating positive socio-cultural impacts that have been found the research contributing positively to the development of cultural tourism.