El Encanto rural tourism route
History and location of the experience
This experience is located in the province of Manabí, in the coastal region of Ecuador, and is promoted mainly by the Autonomous Decentralized Government (GAD in Spanish) of the Municipality of Portoviejo. The rural tourism route connects two centres for the collection and transformation of raw material – Cocoa Fino de Aroma San Plácido and Ceprocafé. In addition, there are several other local enterprises, linked mainly to crafts and agricultural production, which participate in the experience.
What does it offer?
What does it offer?
The first part of the El Encanto bike route is led by a group of young women who receive constant training in matters related to the cocoa transformation process and basic financial administration. During the trip, visitors can enjoy milk chocolate, local delicacies, sweets and ice cream, accompanied by stories of the development of cocoa cultivation in the area. In the second part of the route, visitors can enjoy views of tropical rainforest landscapes and Inca family cocoa and coffee farms, until arriving at the Ceprocafé collection centre to observe the process of harvesting, post-harvesting, grinding, and packaging of coffee. Here visitors can also enjoy a freshly prepared beverage, accompanied by typical Manabi snacks.
Additionally, it is possible to visit the Archaeological Museum at the Cerro Jaboncillo Cultural Heritage site in Picoazá, located just 10 minutes from the city of Portoviejo. There is also a campsite for those who wish to enjoy the natural surroundings, and visit the agroforestry farms with coffee production.
The municipal government promotes the El Encanto route through local radio, press and television programmes. Young people from the area have also produced videos that present the experience together with local attractions. In addition, the GAD aims to develop an app with information on tourist sites in the area, which would include this route.
Agroecological Coffee Farms and Artisans' Workshops
History and location of the experience
The experience is located in the upper part of Santa Cruz, and is promoted mainly by the Galapagos Ministry of Tourism. The Agroecological Coffee Farms and Artisans' Workshops connect several farms, some of them with coffee production, as well as several workshops in the area. In addition, the experience includes local start-ups and it is estimated that there are 20 families linked to tourism.
What does it offer?
What does it offer?
The main technological tools used for promoting the experience are mobile phones and social networks such as Facebook and Instagram. In terms of marketing, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), together with the Conservation International Foundation, have developed an app called Fresco y Natural, which is used for the direct sale of products from the farm. Also, five farms have created a group called Acá, an alliance that markets organic products to local consumers, who can place their orders using Google Sheets.
With the aim of strengthening and diversifying the digital resources of the experience, the participants in the Farms and Artisans Workshops have received training in marketing and sales, with the support of the Ministry of Tourism, during which they have been able to learn about different examples of digital tools, such as the digital payments system "Hagámoslo Fácil".
Associations of the Amazon Chakra Corporation
History and location of the experience
The corporation is located in the province of Napo, in the northern Amazon of Ecuador. The experience is made up of five Kichwa indigenous associations, including the Wiñak, Tsatsayaku and Kallari associations. These three groups offer agrotourism within their portfolio of products and services, which is part of their strategy of economic diversification, based on activities typical of the Kichwa Amazonian cultural identity.
The three associations are focused on exports of fine cocoa, Guayusa, and vanilla, which are sold to different countries around the world. The commercialization of these products has led to the development of of trade relations with clients from Europe, the United States and Japan, among others.
What does it offer?
What does it offer?
With the support of the ENGIM Foundation, the three associations have updated web pages and use social networks such as Facebook and Instagram. The Facebook page is Corporación de Asociaciones de la Chakra Amazónica.
Runa Tupari Native Travel
History and location of the experience
This is a rural tourism company in the province of Imbabura, managed by four indigenous communities of Cotacachi, and the Association of Indigenous Peasant Organizations of Cotacachi (UNORCAC). The main objective of this company is to offer an experience of daily life with the indigenous families living in the rural communities of Cotacachi.
What does it offer?
What does it offer?
Among the services offered are accommodation with indigenous families of local communities (agrotourism), a community tour, a gastronomic tour, an indigenous medicine tour, a tour of the Cotacachi Cayapas National Park, a tour of the Mojanda lakes and Cuicocha, the Imbabura and Cotacachi volcano tour, horseback riding tour, bicycle tour, and internships for foreign students.
The experience has a website, which includes contact details and images of the experience, and serves as a useful tool for promoting and marketing its services. In terms of reservation management, the business uses email and WhatsApp.
The company has three desktop computers and one laptop, and most families in the communities have mobile phones.
Corporation of Yunguilla
History and location of the experience
The Yunguilla Corporation is located in the province of Pichincha and was created in 1995 through a process involving 18 of the 50 families that live in the community, which was supported by international organizations. These families received training and knowledge on how to properly use natural resources, which led to the implementation of a community ecotourism project in 1998. This was based on a strategy to generate new sources of income and involved young people from the community, who now play an important role in the corporation.
The community has implemented sustainable activities that contribute to income generation, with the participation of men and women. Among these activities are the practice of organic agriculture, the processing of native fruits for the production of jams and the production of dairy products. The latter are used to make yogurt, manjar and cheeses through semi-artisanal production systems that are free of agrochemicals, dyes and preservatives. In addition, handicrafts in the community are made with recycled materials such as paper, wood and dry seeds from the forest.
What does it offer?
What does it offer?
The products and services offered by the Yunguilla Corporation include lodging in community houses, a restaurant, camping, and guided excursions to archaeological sites, ancestral routes and conservation areas. It is also possible to visit the organic garden and production systems of the area, and purchase locally made cheeses, snacks, jams, and infusions.
The website www.yunguilla.org.ec is used to promote the corporation's activities and services, as well as social networks that are used to interact with people interested in the services.
The corporation is part of the project "Innovation of products and digital marketing of the Yunguilla community", which is supported by Bosques Andinos, the Consortium for the Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion (CONDESAN), and the Swiss development organization Helvetas. These agencies help to monitor and maintain the corporation's Twitter account, its participation in the Fairtrips.com portal, its presence on Tripadvisor, and the start of implementation of online payment management systems.
With young members and graduates in careers related to tourism and conservation activities, the corporation has an office with computers, mobile phones and satellite Internet.
Community Tourism Development Corporation (CORDTUCH)
History and location of the experience
CORDTUCH is an organization made up of 11 communities, each with a community tourism initiative, distributed in six cantons of the province of Chimborazo. These cantons are Riobamba, Guano, Chambo, Colta, Guamote and Alausí. The main partner of CORDTUCH is the travel agency Puruha Razurku.
What does it offer?
What does it offer?
The corporation offers services related to indigenous communities. Among these are lodging, food, transportation, traditional rituals, excursions to archaeological sites and forests, and tours to the Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve.
The organization has a Facebook page with images of the experience, which provides information about the services. This account is Cordtuch – Community Tourism of Chimborazo. In addition, social networks are used to promote the services and reservations may be processed through the www.fairtrips.com website. For administrative matters, the corporation has four computers and accounting management is carried out using a special program, as well as Excel.
