| dc.description.abstractenglish | According to new trends in emerging economies, tourism has become one of the most relevant driving forces in recent times, considering that it is a value chain that integrates significant elements in the creation of experiences within specific contexts. In the Latin American and Colombian context, these economies highlight the values these countries possess, generally including their environmental, cultural, and historical wealth, making them attractive destinations for visitors seeking to immerse themselves in their culture and idiosyncrasies.
In this regard, in the Colombian case, according to the Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, Umaña (2023):
"Tourism was consolidated as one of the sectors that gave the greatest boost to the Colombian economy, reporting 5,869,869 non-resident visitors by the end of 2023, according to the Office of Economic Studies of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, based on information from Migración Colombia and the Port Societies of Santa Marta and Cartagena."
"This result reaffirms once again that we are one of the preferred tourism destinations in Latin America, managing to position not only our well-established coastal marine and nature tourism offerings, but also our gastronomic, cultural, and community experiences."
Among these categories is ecotourism, rural tourism, or community tourism. It is defined as "the offering of tourism services by an organized community that participates, benefits from, and is involved in the different links of the tourism production chain," as stated by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism (2022). This includes activities and services related to cultural, environmental, and community practices in which municipalities like Herveo, Tolima, could be incorporated. Herveo has significant potential as it is located in Colombia’s Andean zone, which is rich in biodiversity, has a variety of climates, forested areas, fertile soils for agricultural purposes, and high Andean páramo landscapes, due to its proximity to the influence zone of the Los Nevados National Natural Park (PNNN).
The community of Herveo is aware of the touristic potential of its territory—ecological, rural, and historical—however, it has not yet been fully leveraged in terms of business development that could meet the organizational needs of the sector and provide information to those interested in experiencing ecotourism, community-based, rural, and environmental tourism in Herveo. Therefore, it is possible to make this sector important for the municipality’s economy and foster development in the region. To achieve this goal, fieldwork is necessary, along with coordination of the different activities that can be carried out to promote the area, creating a significant flow of tourists who purchase products and services offered by the community. This would improve the inhabitants’ income and, importantly, help regulate ecotourism through public policies that ensure the sustainability of the efforts made over time. | |
