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Visitor Study of the Rio Ayampe Region, Ecuador South America

SETTRA March 29 th , 2011 David Cárdenas, Nkem Elekwa, & Erick Byrd University of North Carolina Greensboro . Visitor Study of the Rio Ayampe Region, Ecuador South America. Tourism has the potential to have many positive impacts on a local community.

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Visitor Study of the Rio Ayampe Region, Ecuador South America

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  1. SETTRA March 29th, 2011 David Cárdenas, Nkem Elekwa, & Erick Byrd University of North Carolina Greensboro Visitor Study of the Rio Ayampe Region, Ecuador South America

  2. Tourism has the potential to have many positive impacts on a local community. • employment opportunities, increased income, diversity in the economy, and increased infrastructure development. • Tourism also has the potential to have negative impacts • inflation, over commercialization, increased crime, prostitution, and gambling (Goeldner & Ritchie, 2009). • Because tourism has the potential to have both positive and negative impacts, it is critical that proper planning and management Introduction

  3. High level of tourist satisfaction • Make optimal use of environmental resources • Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities • Providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders • Constant monitoring of impacts • Informed participation of all relevant stakeholders, as well as strong political leadership (http://www.world-tourism.org/frameset/frame_sustainable.html) Sustainable Tourism Development…

  4. Stakeholders and Tourism Including all key stakeholders in the planning process and making them “informed participants” (WTO, 2004). Freeman (1984) defined a stakeholder as “any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organizations objectives” (p 46). Key tourism stakeholders include local residents, governmental entities, local business owners and/or tourists. Interwoven into the ideas of sustainable tourism and stakeholder (citizen) participation is the importance of the development of the stakeholders’ knowledge and understanding about issues (i.e. tourism development) (Byrd, Cardenas, & Greenwood, 2008; Simmons, 1994). Marien and Pizam (1997)

  5. Research Project: Rio Ayampe Region • Comprehensive Community Based Tourism Planning • Resource Audit (2008 & 2009) • Industry and Business Leaders (Interviews 2008) • Wants and needs from tourism • Local Community Members (Interviews 2009) • Wants and needs from development of the region • Visitor Study (Intercepts 2010) • Market Identification and Segmentation • Women's Owed and Operated Tourism Business (WOOTB) (2010) • Perceptions and Attitude of Tourism Development (Surveys) • Gender Expectations of Tourism Development (Focus groups) • Local and National Government (Projected 2011)

  6. Rio Ayampe Region Central coast of Ecuador, rural and isolated La Ruta del Sol (Ruta Del Spondylus),which is a scenic highway Near the only Coastal National Park in Ecuador. Rio Ayampe Region extended for approximately 37 kilometers, beginning in Puerto Lopez and ending in Montañita. Economically depressed area, very little industry but abundant natural and cultural resources Not a well known tourist destination and competes with more well regions (Amazon Basin, Andes Mountains and the Galapagos Island

  7. Ecuador and Rio Ayampe

  8. Methodology • Visitor intercept methodology • Systematic random sample • June and July 2010, • 48 days, • 8am-11am, 11-4pm, and 4-8pm • Every 7th tourist – 359 completed surveys • Three sites • Montanita (N=178) – 49.6% • Puerto Lopez (N=144) – 40.1% • Ayampe (N=37) – 10.3% • Spanish and English Questionnaires

  9. Spanish (40%) and English(60%) How they found about the region (16) Main purpose of visiting (8) Activity (24) Importance – 5pt Likert Scale (selection of region & amenities) (27) Motivation – 5pt Likert Scale (16) Socio-Demographics (5) SPSS 15.0 Analysis Included – Chi-Square, T-Test, & Factor Analysis Questionnaire

  10. The majority of respondents were females (60%) Age ranged from 18-66 (Mean, 28 & Medium, 26) Large majority were single (72%), Married (15%) Most indicated they were international tourist (71%) The main reason from travel was pleasure/relaxation (65%) and adventure (10%) Most found out about the region from Friends and Family (60%) and travel brochures (20%) Market Segment

  11. Gender - Women • ² (1, N=357) = 4.97, p=.026 were more likely to participate in photography • ² (1, N=357) = 21.13, p=.000 were more likely to shop • ² (1, N=357) = 5.59, p=.018 were more likely to visit spas • Place of residence – International Visitors • ² (1, N=358) = 4.63, p=.031, were more likely to hike • ² (1, N=358) = 8.27, p=.004, were more likely to visit museums and historic sites • ² (1, N=358) = 6.49, p=.011, were more likely to eat local cuisine • ² (1, N=358) = 8.74, p=.003, were more likely to surf • ² (1, N=358) = 7.11, p=.008, were more likely to go whale watching • ² (1, N=358) = 12.88, p=.000, were more likely to shop • ² (1, N=358) = 16.72, p=.000, were more likely to take Spanish lessons Activity Group Differences

  12. Peace and Quite • Men (2.13) & Women (2.55), t(333) = -3.17, p < .005 • Culture • Men (2.15) & Women (1.86), t(323) = 2.62, p < .005 • Image • International (2.78) & Domestic (2.28), t(303) = 2.50, p < .005 • Visitors Services • International (2.37) & Domestic (1.87), t(314) = 3.18, p < .005 Importance Group Difference: Destination and Services

  13. Cronbach’s Alpha of .814 • Four Factor solution – KMO .820, 61.01 % of Variance Explained • Based on Maslow Hierarchy of Needs model the factor were labeled • Natural & Cultural Resources (6) • Relaxation & Amenities (5) • Knowledge & Promotions (2) • Image & Prestige (2) Motivation Scale: Factor Analysis

  14. Nature and Culture (no differences) • Relaxation and Amenities • International (3.58) & Domestic (3.99), t(358) = -4.87, p < .005 • Knowledge and sightseeing • International (2.06) & Domestic (2.74), t(358) = -5.51, p < .005 • Image and Prestige • International (3.85) & Domestic (3.62), t(358) = 2.12 , p < .005 Motivation Group Differences

  15. Establishes Key Indicators • Significant differences between groups • Gender and Place of residence • Marketing strategy • Planning decisions for the community and industry leaders • Visitor as a stakeholder group Implications for Destination

  16. Sustainability – Planning – Marketing • Example of community-based approach • Multiple studies • Community involvement • Tourism as a form of community development • Data is not generalizable to the southeast but the methods are • Indicator development • Visitor as a stakeholder group Relevance to SETTRA

  17. Student laboratory • Small business development • Lodges, restaurants, tour operators, & attractions • Women’s Entrepreneurial project • Certification • Park development • Public health initiative • Beach beatification project • Highway construction Projects Connect to this Research

  18. Questions

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