Valoracion del Paisaje como Estrategia para el Desarrollo de Actividades de Ecoturismo en el Municipio de La Union, Narino (Colombia)

Abstract

The paper applies a mixed methodology to identify Landscape Units (LUs)-in which ecotourism activities are proposed to be developed-based on the perceptual valuation of key social agents in the municipality of La Union Narino, Colombia. This study is carried out under a political and cultural context in which rural spaces are beginning to adopt ecotourism practices as an economic activity based on conservation and nature protection principles. The methodology consists of three phases: 1) identification of the LUs; 2) qualitative valuation of the reception capacity in the LUs for the development of ecotourism; and 3) identification of the articulation degree between official planning instruments and the promotion of tourism activities in La Union. The results show that UP1 meets the criteria for ecotourism development, while, at the same time, the State's planning and development instruments do not conceive strategies for this activity.