Propuesta de activación turística-cultural en una ciudad patrimonio mundial: caso calle Rafael María Arízaga, Cuenca-Ecuador

Abstract

The present research work develops a proposal of tourist and cultural activation for Rafael María Arízaga Street, the northern limit of the historical center of the city of Cuenca, which is part of the city´s declarations as: National Heritage and Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The work aims to propose a plan for the tourist and cultural activation of Rafael María Arízaga street, through qualitative research with a descriptive-spatial extension whit tools such as: the ethnographic method used throughout the research, compilation of documentary information, surveys to residents of the street and its surrounding blocks, and interviews to opinion leaders with a base heritage inventory carried out by the Directorate of Historical and Heritage Areas of the Municipality of Cuenca, which defines the existence of 32 heritage houses in category B and two of greater heritage value in category A located along the street, the use of all these tools has made it easier to determine the currently situation of the street as to formulate and activation plan. The interest of a tourist intervention proposal in the street arises from the need to revalue it as historical part of the city, as well as to undermine the popular denomination as a red zone due to delinquency and alcoholism among the evident, seeking to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants through tourism development, with training in different areas and the creation of complementary establishments for tourism development.