Rural Tourism Development Proposal. Case Study: The Commune El Palmar, Santa Elena Canton, Ecuador

Abstract

Tourism activities in rural areas in Latin America and the global consensus on the subject, simplistically links tourism as a solution to poverty and environmental protection. 26.1% of the Ecuadorian population prefers to visit the rural area, feel linked to nature, peace and harmony, breathe fresh air, have a more natural and healthy way of life. Therefore, the objective of studying the subject is to enhance the tourism offer for the local and rural development of the Palmar commune, taking advantage of the natural tourist attractions that it has, through ecological tourism with a proposal of an ecological path to María Guare hill, Palmar beach and Rosada beach, through the Mangrove and the cliff, in order to raise awareness and conserve this natural resource through environmental education, while generating a source of economic income for the Commune.