Evaluación de la Declaratoria de Imbabura como Geoparque otorgado por la Unesco 2021

Abstract

Abstract:Since the declaration of Imbabura province as a Global Geopark in 2019, the Geopark Management Committee has been the entity in charge of regulating the development and operation of the project. Thus, the study called "Evaluation of the Declaration of Imbabura as a Geopark granted by UNESCO 2021" was developed with the objective of making a diagnosis of the degree of knowledge, empowerment, and involvement of the local population, also in order to assess the scope of the actions carried out by the different levels of government. In the six cantons of the Province and through the qualitative method, a survey questionnaire was applied to a sample of 196 inhabitants, a panel of experts to eight authorities and former authorities linked to the project, and interviews to three technicians who participated in the application of Imbabura as a Geopark. In this way, it was possible to recognize the need to improve the strategies that allow generating tourism development by involving the communities in the planning and management process in favor of the Imbabura Gloval Geopark.