Tourism planning and competitiveness in Ecuador

Abstract

In the current economic scenario, tourism management emerges as one of the most dynamic activities of global capitalism. Its importance is appreciated in the contribution to the generation of wealth, according to the World Tourism Organization. In this context, transnational capital has forcefully penetrated with into touristic activity. However, the resulting effects in terms of sustainability have not been favorable. Ecuador has not escaped this dynamic, even though the Ministry of Tourism itself establishes the necessary harmony between this economic activity and sustainable development. Therefore, the work presented in this study, aims to analyze the dynamics of tourism planning and competitiveness in Ecuador. The study was developed under the paradigm of qualitative research, through an interpretive design of a literature review. The data was collected from different sources and checked by the researchers through a data triangulation method. The results show that Ecuador is a country with enormous potential to develop a diverse and attractive tourism market. The literature review made it possible to build a theoretical framework of reference, raising awareness about the importance and need of strategic planning for the development of a tourist destination. It also showed the basic structure of the analysis of the competitiveness of the company and addressing the issue through of an actual Ecuadorian case.