Diseño de senderos ecoturísticos en Cerro Ayampe

Abstract

CONDITION FOR PUBLICATION OF PROJECT. project proposes the design of ecotourism trails for Cerro Ayampe with a focus on utilizing and respecting the natural area for tourism and recreational use, while promoting the importance of environmental conservation. This proposal addresses the need to take advantage of the natural space to diversify the tourism offering, which is currently limited to an area where only accommodation services are provided. Currently, visitors express the need for complementary activities such as hiking, but the area lacks adequate planning. For this reason, the Design Thinking methodology was applied, using tools such as in-depth interviews, participant observation in the field, and a facility weighting sheet, among others, in order to understand the real needs of visitors and prototype ecotourism trails based on their criteria of interest and adapt them to the study area. During this process, tourist facilities were identified that should be implemented along the trails, such as: viewpoints, shade and rest stations, and signage. Thus, it is concluded that the designed trails allow Cerro Ayampe to make optimal use of its natural resources, improve the visitor's tourist experience, and ensure the conservation of the environment. Keywords: design, ecotourism trails, tourist facilities, environmental conservation