Agrotourism and the Spirit of Entrepreneurship in times of pandemic COVID 19: The Case of the Rice Route in Guayas, Ecuador

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Franklin Marcelo Mora-Méndez
Edison Fernando Chiriboga-Cisneros
Carlos Andrés Ortiz-Chimbo
Hugo Renán Ruiz-López

Abstract

Agrotourism has proven in recent years to be a key activity in rural areas versus the decline of the traditional agricultural industry, both in developed and emerging countries. The contribution of this activity is important because it helps to counteract socioeconomic processes such as unemployment and strengthens the entrepreneurial spirit in rural areas; however, in times of pandemic, its impact is unknown. The objective of the research was to conduct an analysis of agrotourism and the spirit of entrepreneurship during the COVID-19 pandemic season, at the “Ruta del Arroz” (Rice Route) in the province of Guayas, in order to know the impact on the behavior of the agritourism sector. The study is qualitative, for which interviews were conducted with tourism technicians of the Decentralized Autonomous Governments and owners of companies in the tourism and agri-food sector. The results obtained indicate that at least 73% of those interviewed have a low or very low perception in four indicators of entrepreneurship. As a contribution to the study, factors that stimulate entrepreneurship were obtained and, also limiting factors faced by industry actors in the study area were determined. As a conclusion, technical, economic, political, and social support by tourism managers based on their competencies is urgently needed to create environments that strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit in the Ruta del Arroz.

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How to Cite
Mora-Méndez, F. M., Chiriboga-Cisneros, E. F., Ortiz-Chimbo, C. A., & Ruiz-López, H. R. (2022). Agrotourism and the Spirit of Entrepreneurship in times of pandemic COVID 19: The Case of the Rice Route in Guayas, Ecuador. INNOVA Reseach Journal, 7(3), 140–154. https://doi.org/10.33890/innova.v7.n3.2022.2098
Section
Business and Innovation
Author Biographies

Franklin Marcelo Mora-Méndez, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Universidad de Guayaquil

Franklin Marcelo Mora Méndez, ecuatoriano, Magíster en Ecoturismo y Manejo de Áreas Naturales por la Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial-Ecuador. Candidato a Doctor en Ciencias Sociales y Estudios del Comportamiento Universidad La Coruña España, Profesor adjunto de la Escuela de Turismo, Universidad de Guayaquil -Ecuador, Docente del Instituto Tecnológico Superior Universitario Espíritu Santo, Guayaquil- Ecuador. Línea de investigación turismo, turismo sostenible. https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=es&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsN-F6c2GSlvqGpEZ3DsiocPcSdxm3f_vrql8QTHetlgVMQIEoOceNnRMmh7i98Rnh0L7DwXX-jTdK-r_VMw5CV5X45ywgQu3UhKR-DSUWoD8uLQS4hCXJcKbuisSVx_65YdWAG0HLa&user=XVDe-ZkAAAAJ

Edison Fernando Chiriboga-Cisneros, Universidad de Guayaquil, Ecuador

Edison Fernando Chiriboga Cisneros , ecuatoriano, Máster in Business Administration por la Universidad Técnica Ferderico Santa María-Chile, candidato a Doctor en Ciencias Sociales y Estudios del Comportamiento Universidad La Coruña España, Profesor adjunto de la Escuela de Turismo, Universidad de Guayaquil -Ecuador. Línea de investigación turismo, administración. https://scholar.google.es/citations?hl=es&user=ts7NauIAAAAJ 

Carlos Andrés Ortiz-Chimbo, Universidad de Guayaquil, Ecuador

Carlos Andrés Ortiz Chimbo , ecuatoriano, Máster Universitario en Dirección de Empresas Turísticas Sostenibilidad y Gestión de la Calidad por la Universidad de Barcelona. España. Profesor adjunto de la Escuela de Gastronomía, Universidad de Guayaquil-Ecuador. Línea de investigación empresas turísticas y hoteleras. 

Hugo Renán Ruiz-López, Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, Ecuador

Hugo Renán Ruiz López, ecuatoriano, Máster en Control de Operaciones y Gestión Logística por la Universidad Escuela Politécnica del Litoral ESPOL-Ecuador, Profesor adjunto de la facultad de Administración de la Universidad Internacional del Ecuador-Ext Guayaquil. Powered by Arizona State University. Línea de investigación gestión empresarial. 

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