Diversification of the nature tourism offer: cable car on Cerro Jaboncillo, Picoaza, Portoviejo

Abstract

The diversification of the nature tourism offer has become a priority for tourist destinations due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The objective of this research is to create a proposal to diversify the nature tourism offer in the Picoazá parish, through the implementation of a cable car in Cerro Hojas-Jaboncillo; a place with a great natural and archaeological attraction that has been little exploited in the tourism approach by the population and the local government. The research uses a mixed approach, with an exploratory and descriptive study that includes an integral and systemic methodology divided into five stages: characterization of the current situation, diagnosis of the problem, description of the proposal, feasibility study and impact evaluation. The economic feasibility was based on a cost of five dollars per tourist entry, estimating a 10% annual growth rate with a 2% increase starting in the third year. The resident population agrees with the project and perceives it as an opportunity for tourism and socioeconomic reactivation, although other aspects of the complex need to be strengthened to meet visitor expectations. It is essential to implement environmental management based on education, which allows for participatory governance and the application of public policies that promote a sustainable tourism model while preserving the precepts of the circular economy.