Plan de equipamiento turístico con enfoque en la seguridad y atractividad del Mirador María Juana en Gualaceo, Azuay

Abstract

The María Juana Tourist Viewpoint in Gualaceo faces significant challenges that do not allow its development, such as the lack of maintenance of the infrastructure and deficiency in tourist safety that affect its attractiveness. For this, a plan was designed which seeks to solve the problems and be a support tool for the proper management of the attraction. This proposal was structured in three stages: in the first phase, a diagnosis of the current situation of the viewpoint was carried out; Semi-structured interviews were applied through matrices, in this way it was evident that the current infrastructure is deficient. In the second phase, a proposal for tourist equipment was designed through images, which includes the implementation of adequate signage, installation of railings and other essential safety elements. In addition, a training program was proposed divided into modules that address customer service, food handling, safety and sustainability. Finally, the project was socialized and validated with local stakeholders, receiving a mostly positive perception. Stakeholders consider the initiative as innovative and transformative for the local tourism sector. However, concerns were also identified about potential environmental impacts and conflicts of interest, which require appropriate mitigation strategies. If the proposal materializes, it would become a complementary attraction of the tourist offer of Gualaceo canton, benefiting multiple sectors.