Diseño de propuesta metodológica para estructurar macroproductos turísticos

Abstract

CONDITION FOR PUBLICATION OF PROJECT. Ecuador, a country with great geographic diversity, faces structural obstacles in its tourism products. This project designs a methodology to structure these products and transform them into macro-products, enhancing visitor experiences and forging public-private partnerships with the tourism sector. The Design Thinking methodology was used, applying tools in its five phases: for Empathize, interviews and a problem tree; for Define, the problem was analyzed thru secondary sources; for Ideate, brainstorming and LucidChart; for Prototype, a methodological manual, Canva, and Word; and finally, for Validate, expert interviews. A five-phase methodology was implemented: Discover, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test, which was validated by national and international experts. A digital manual with the country brand’s visual identity and 30 downloadable tools was created; experts confirmed that the main aspects for structuring tourism macro-products are present in the proposed methodology. The Design Thinking-based methodology effectively structures tourism products and creates a competitive advantage among the various public and private stakeholders. Additionally, a validated manual with 30 specialized tools is developed, increasing tourist stays and generating a positive economic impact, thereby positioning Ecuador as a competitive destination. Keywords: Tourist product, tools, digital manual, public-private