Challenges and perspectives of rural tourism in Ciego de Ávila

Tourism, due to its transformative nature, has the capacity to diversify the local economy and influence the conservation of its natural, agricultural and sociocultural heritage, through the practice of various tourism modalities. Rural areas can implement strategies with a tourism focus to expand productive capacities and skills, mainly if they are managed as a complement to traditional economic activities. Rural tourism in the province of Ciego de Ávila is considered a feasible development opportunity, since its management involves the implementation of actions that articulate and stimulate the activation of rural heritage, in correspondence with the demands of the tourism market. In this research, the qualitative approach predominates, and various techniques were used to collect information (document analysis, scientific observation and interview). The objective was to demonstrate the validity of rural tourism as a complement to the local economy in the Avilanian territory. The existing tourism potential was recognized, based on the insertion of rural tourism into local productive activity. In addition, the main rural tourism products that are developed and contribute to positively modify the socioeconomic dynamics in these rural settings were identified. The importance of training local actors in rural tourism was determined, so that they achieve correct planning and execution of rural tourism initiatives or ventures, integrated into the production of goods and services at a local scale; with the purpose of developing sustainable and responsible tourism.