Agroturismo Como Modelo De Negocio Para Dinamizar La Economía Familiar De Pequeños Agricultores De Alausí Y Cumandá De La Provincia De Chimborazo

Abstract

This research work is a proposal of a model for an inclusive Agritourism business which has been created in order to invigorate the family economy of marginal farmers in Cumanda and Alausi – towns in the Chimborazo Province, Ecuador. Once the tourist potential in the zone, the one which is linked to the farming production systems, was evaluated, an agritourism product was designed for each one of the towns mentioned, and finally, the model Canvas was applied to the proposal. The research combines field, analytic, and participative methods along with techniques such as the interview and the survey. In order to evaluate the tourist potential in the zone, the MINTUR (2004) tourist attractions inventory methodology was applied. These attractions would later be validated in a participative way along with the community with whom the tourist route would also be created. All this is summarized through the business model proposed by Canvas. Thirty- three economically relevant-for-the-population farming products were identified. A tourist route was developed, and it integrated the production systems which have a hierarchy II and III. Moreover, the private and communitarian tourist plant was also designed. The business model proposes the creation of an economically solidary enterprise as a strategy for sustainable development