Dinámicas de la guianza turística antes, durante y después de la pandemia COVID-19 en la ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador

Abstract

The present research analyzes the dynamics in the tourist guide sector in the scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. This study is based on the theory of uncertainty in the field of social sciences in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, which produced a crisis in the different productive sectors, creating diverse scenarios of uncertainty. The onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic was devastating, especially for the tourism industry and its different fields of work, among them, tourist guiding, thus making the normal development of its activities impossible. Therefore, in order to identify the field of action of tourist guides before, during and after the pandemic, we first inquired about their professional profile, then about their behavior before and during the health crisis, and finally about their projections in the face of similar challenges in the future. The research approach is qualitative, exploratory in scope and cross-sectional, supported by interviews and focus groups. It shows the abandonment of these professionals by the tourism authority, high levels of informality and the versatility of the tour guide in terms of his or her skills. In addition, the ability to adapt and face different challenges in the post-pandemic stage stands out. Keywords: dynamics, uncertainty, tour guide, COVID-19