Sendero interpretativo autoguiado para la valorización y conservación de los recursos naturales y culturales de la comunidad Mulidiaguan, parroquia Salinas, cantón Guaranda, provincia de Bolívar.

Abstract

Tourism has become a highly sought-after option for those seeking sustainable travel destinations. In this context, the Mulidiaguan community, in the parish of Salinas, Bolívar province, set out to design a self-guided interpretive trail that would contribute to economic, social, and environmental development, as well as to the conservation of natural and cultural resources. The methodology employed a mixedmethods approach, incorporating fieldwork, documentary analysis, and nonexperimental design, supported by the Scopus database and VOSviewer software for bibliometric analysis. In addition, the Interpretive Potential Index (IPI) questionnaire and a 26-question survey were used; the survey was validated by experts and via Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.91), which confirmed its excellent reliability. The results demonstrated that interpretation and tourist behavior aligned to develop strategies aimed at more conscious tourism. Furthermore, 14 natural and 3 cultural resources were identified, as well as a young adult audience with the intention of visiting the community. A design was proposed for the “Peña Blanca” self-guided interpretive trail—a loop trail of moderate difficulty, 8 km long, with 37 waypoints, complementary trail amenities, and an interpretive script aimed at those interested in ecotourism and culture. Finally, it was concluded that Mulidiaguan has the potential to develop innovative tourism initiatives focused on protecting the natural environment, generating fair economic benefits, and promoting the participation of the local population. Therefore, it is recommended to design products that complement the self-guided interpretive trail and to implement promotional strategies that take advantage of the technological boom.