Análisis de los factores limitantes para el desarrollo de la actividad turística en una comunidad del litoral ecuatoriano: Comunidad Santa Marianita, cantón Arenillas, provincia de El Oro, Ecuador

Abstract

This project arises from the need to understand the factors that prevent tourism development in a territory, for this purpose the community of Santa Marianita located in canton Arenillas, province of El Oro, where the absence of tourism has been observed despite having tourist potential. In this context, the following objectives were proposed: to understand the factors that limit the development of tourism typologies in rural environments from a theoretical perspective; to explore the perception of the actors of the community of Santa Marianita regarding tourism activity; and to identify the obstacles and challenges that the community faces in promoting tourism as a path to local development. The methodology had a qualitative approach of exploratory-descriptive and cross-sectional scope. To this end, a bibliographic review and a mapping of actors were initially used to know those involved and their position on the subject of study, on the other hand, semi-structured interviews were carried out with key actors, the data obtained were analyzed using the Atlas.ti software, version 24. Concluding that the limiting factors for tourism development are the lack of leadership and organization in the community, the indifference of external agents, and the lack of insertion of the community in the tourism market, due to its incipient tourism system. Consequently, these factors generate internal conflicts, socioeconomic inequality, and insecurity, thus contributing to the absence of tourism development in the community.