Diseño de un producto turístico para la Comuna de Valdivia

Abstract

The project aims to design a tourist circuit prototype for the Valdivia community, located in the Manglaralto parish, Santa Elena, Ecuador. Its purpose is to organize the community’s emerging tourism offer and to make use of its cultural and natural heritage, in response to challenges such as the lack of tourism planning, coordination, and infrastructure. Through an integrated design, the project seeks to improve the visitor experience and increase local economic benefits, in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8 and 11. For its development, the Routes and Itineraries Manual of the Ministry of Tourism and the Design Thinking approach were used. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through interviews and questionnaires, allowing the proposal to be adapted to the needs and expectations of local stakeholders. The results led to the design of two tourist circuits: the cultural heritage circuit “Valdivia, de la historia a tus manos” and the nature-focused circuit “Miradas de la costa de Valdivia.” The proposal provides a basis for future implementation. In the long term, it may strengthen cultural identity, promote inclusive local economic development, and contribute to a resilient and sustainable community-based tourism model. Keywords: Tourist circuit, Cultural heritage, Community-based tourism, Tourist experience.