Factores que influyen en la calidad de la experiencia turística en los buses panorámicos de Cuenca: un análisis comparativo entre contextos de alta demanda y periodos regulares

Abstract

This research analyzes the factors that influence the quality of the tourist experience in panoramic bus tours of the city of Cuenca, based on a comparison between contexts of high tourist demand (holidays) and regular periods. The research was developed under a mixed and exploratory-descriptive approach and cross-sectional scope between February and May 2026. The methodology was developed in three phases: the first phase included a literature review on experience economics, service quality, customer experience and visitor satisfaction. The second phase included participant and non-participant observation, as well as semi-structured interviews with key actors analyzed using inductive and deductive coding in ATLAS.ti 26. Finally, in the third phase, 300 surveys were applied to users of the service, distributed equally between regular periods and holidays, using a Likert scale. The results show that the tourist experience is conditioned by the interaction of organizational, operational, informative and experiential factors that influence the perception of service quality, presenting variations according to the context of demand. While in regular periods greater levels of comfort and operational fluidity are perceived, in seasons of high demand tensions associated with saturation, waiting times and service organization are identified. However, aspects such as the attention of the staff, the perception of safety and the cultural value of the route maintain favorable evaluations in both contexts. It was concluded that the quality of the tourist experience depends on a comprehensive management that efficiently articulates these factors.