Ecotourism in Peru: Laguna de los Patos as a case study

Abstract

Aviturismo or birdwatching tourism is part of an emerging subsector in the nature tourism industry. Although bird watching is established in Peru, it has been concentrated to a greater extent in conservation areas. However, the Piura region is also home to a great diversity of birds in areas that have not been declared protected, such as the “Laguna de los Patos” wetland located in the district of Querecotillo. The objective of this study is to investigate the potential of birdwatching that can occurin the "Laguna de los Patos" wetland, together with an update of the species. A non-experimental research work was carried out with field collection and bibliographic information. The results obtained allowed us to conclude that the wetland has a fairly high potential to develop bird tourism and contribute to the conservation of the area and the species, also benefiting the economy of the surrounding local populations.