Ecological tourism to power the sustainable development of the canton Puerto López, Manabí, Ecuador

Abstract

Ecological tourism is a promising activity for indigenous and rural populations. This activity, in the coastal region, has been experiencing accelerated growth that will be greater in the future according to the different tourist typologies that it frames. However, currently environmental work from the territories lacks adequate tourism management that, in the long term, can generate considerable negative impacts on the territory and on the image of space as a tourist destination. The approaches on this tourist modality can incorporate different considerations depending on the population that promotes it and the different natural attractions of the region. For this reason, the objective of this research was to analyze ecological tourism as a factor that can strengthen tourism in this territory, through a survey that allowed knowing the profile, motivations and valuations of tourists and businessmen about this modality. Among the results, it should be noted that the visitors who arrive in the area are young people with a high level of education. The main motivation is marked by rest, although others also standout such as leisure, fun and knowledge of the culture, as well as the satisfaction for its scenic beauty that is high. It was possible to identify the main strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats of the different ecological tourist attractions. The behavior of the ecological tourism market within ecotourism activities was analyzed. Management strategies were designed that involve the commitment to continuous improvement and the implementation of different initiatives in the tourism sector.