Criterios de vocación turística para consolidar destinos locales en espacios rurales. Estudio de caso en la comunidad de Chaullayacu, Guachapala, Ecuador

Abstract

In the community of Chaullayacu, in the province of Azuay, Ecuador, the presence of natural and cultural resources of remarkable attraction has led to the emergence of tourism as an alternative for economic development in the face of incipient initiatives of productive diversification. The purpose of this study is to identify the criteria of tourist vocation that a local rural territory must meet to consolidate itself as a tourist destination, under a new quantitative methodology prior to an inquiry into the best experiences in the world. Through a theoretical exploratory study, it was possible to investigate and synthesize the contexts of tourism vocation to consolidate them into a theoretical framework, with a rural and local development approach. To validate the information, the developed instrument was applied in a real context with nine visitors, including tourists, local residents and academics. Through probabilities, it was possible to determine relevant or deteriorated levels of criteria, indicators, and areas of tourism vocation. The results tested in the population of Chaullayacu indicate a current probability of 0.26 in territorial aptitude, 0.18 in landscape components and 0.29 in local capacity of a total of one. In conclusion, the criteria that should be worked on correspond to the management of visitors to cultural and natural sites, presence of intangible heritage, tourism venue, local infrastructure, training of local personnel, degree of tourism planning and management, and promotion.