Gobernanza turística sostenible en la parroquia Simiátug del cantón Guaranda: autogestión y cohesión comunitaria del destino

Abstract

The rural parish of Simiátug, where the Kichwa language is spoken, located in the Guaranda canton of Bolívar province, has significant tourism potential that is limited by structural weaknesses in its governance system. The objective of this study was to analyze tourism governance in Simiátug based on the UNDP’s nine principles of good governance (participation, rule of law, transparency, responsiveness, consensusbuilding, equity, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability, and strategic vision). A qualitative methodology was employed, based on semi-structured interviews with nine key informants: public officials, private entrepreneurs, and a community representative selected through snowball sampling. The results reveal critical gaps in participation, transparency, responsiveness, and accountability, primarily associated with the lack of private-sector engagement, the absence of effective institutional channels, and the lack of a tourism registry. Significant gaps were also identified in the rule of law, effectiveness and efficiency, and strategic vision, while equity and consensus-building scored at a moderate level, reflecting agreements that fail to translate into concrete actions and remain merely words. Based on this assessment, the MINGA model (Integrated Governance Model for Self-Management) is proposed, which brings together stakeholders, roles, and implementation phases aimed at closing the identified gaps. The study concludes that strengthening collaborative governance is essential to establishing Simiátug as a sustainable and self-managed tourist destination.