ECUADOR: A COMMUNITY TOURISM DESTINATION
“Promoting investment in community tourism, helping the local economic development and generating employment are the main Tourism Ministry action lines in 2010 to strengthen the Community Tourism.” (The Tourism Ministry of Ecuador, 28/02/2010)
The Secretary of State has indicated that $ 874,105 were invested to strengthen this important business segment for seven regions of the country. “This will consolidate the action lines with application programs such as Training, Guide Services, and the Integral Marketing Plan of Ecuador.
SOME FIGURES ABOUT COMMUNITY TOURISM IN 2009
- This activity has generated 200 tourism entrepreneurships in the three regions: The coast, the Andes and the Amazon
- A budget of $ 604,305 to promote organization and working consensus between the community tourism actors
- 1,600 direct jobs and 3,200 indirect jobs were created, contributing to poverty alleviation and natural resources conservation.
The minister also talked about stimulation and goals accomplishments for this activity in Ecuador, as an economic boost, promoting ecotourism actions, ethnic tourism and cultural tourism compatible with the nature conservation assets and Ecuadorian culture.
COMMUNITY TOURISM EVENTS
- Forum between villages and Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador: Quito June 23, 2010
The Villages Secretary, Social Movements and Urban Participation, The Federation of Community in Ecuador (FEPTCE), the CODENPE, with support from the “Catedra Indigena” at the Simón Bolívar Andean University, will conduct a Community Tourism forum, with participation of over 100 representatives and leaders at the national level.
Meeting Proposal: to analyze and discuss the community tourism situation and prospects in national and international context, considering this as an economic alternative for communities.
Various presentations will be offered on the following topics:
• The history of the community tourism in Ecuador
• Communities experiences in the three regions
• The legislative proposal for community tourism in Ecuador
• Finally, we will identify the different criteria and gaps to strengthen the proposal
- Last year: The intercultural Community Tourism night in Guayaquil
This is a cultural celebration with the participation of 10 groups belonging to different communities and villages. The objective is to “know a part of the cultural diversity and especially to gather with the message of life expressed in music and traditional dances.”
Tags: community tourism, degira, ecuador