Social dynamics and tourist activity in the Volcano Imbabura Ecological Protection Area, Ecuador

Abstract

The legal recognition of the UNESCO Imbabura Geopark; of the Taita Imbabura Ecological Protection Area by the Ecuadorian state, generated social expectations regarding the improvement of the integrated territorial management of the Imbabura volcanic complex and regenerative rural tourism as an alternative that allows for the conservation of fragile ecosystems, cultural diversity, and encourages social participation; The objectives are to reflect on the social dynamics and perspectives that make it possible to consolidate a competitive tourist destination, favor the development of collective actions to activate the offers of local and territorial tourism products of the parishes; Caranqui, La Esperanza, San Antonio and Angochagua; The methodology applied is mixed with quantitative and qualitative methods in focus groups and field observations; allowing as results to examine the relationships and behaviors between organizations and convergent interest groups, identifying patterns and structures that influence social behavior, the strengthening of social capital and design of strategies for the tourism management of natural and cultural heritage, allowing the empowerment of activities, policies and governance models as a result of associative social dynamics and strategic relationship between the public and private to consolidate rural tourism in the Taita Imbabura ecological protection área.