Agritourism as a Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy in Píllaro Canton, Ecuador

Abstract

This study analyzes agritourism as a sustainable tourism development strategy in Santiago de Píllaro, Tungurahua Province, Ecuador. Employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates 371 visitor surveys, key stakeholder interviews, direct observation, attraction inventories, and territorial analysis, this paper examines the relationship between agritourism and tourism development. The Pearson chi-square test yielded  (, ), indicating a statistically significant association between the analyzed variables. The findings also reveal favorable perceptions toward agritourism driven by its environmental, employment, and community benefits. The discussion emphasizes the need to integrate rural supply, infrastructure, governance, digital promotion, and sustainability to effectively transform agricultural resources into competitive tourism experiences.