Cycling Tourism Activity: An Alternative in Times of Covid 19 in the Destination of Sucre and San Vicente
1Frank Angel Lemoine Quintero1, María Gabriela Montesdeoca Calderón2, YeseniaAracely Zamora Cusme3, Esteban Isaac Cedeño Rodríguez4, Norma Rafaela Hernández Rodríguez5
1D. in Economics and professor at the Universidad LaicaEloy Alfaro de Manabí, Bahía de Caráquez Extension. Ecuador https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8885-8498,[email protected]
2Escuela Superior PolitécnicaAgropecuaria de Manabí Manuel Félix López, ESPAM-MFL, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4752-260X,[email protected]
3D. in Administrative Sciences and full professor at the Escuela Superior PolitécnicaAgropecuaria de Manabí Manuel Félix López, ESPAM-MFL, Ecuador
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7448-5448,[email protected]
4Marketing Engineer of the Bahía de Caráquez Extension of the Universidad LaicaEloy Alfaro de Manabí. Ecuador. [email protected]
5Full-time professor at Universidad de Oriente, accredited researcher at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.Doctor in Economic and Business Sciences.Member of
the scientific group of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. Cuba, [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2888-6363
Eloy Alfaro Laic University of Manabí.Bahía de Caráquez Extension.
[email protected] Astract:
The objective of this research is to promote bicycle tourism as an economic reactivation activity in the cantons of Sucre and San Vicente. The information obtained through field and bibliographic sources allowed a descriptive analysis that consisted in defining the scale for the development of the measurement instrument. Reference is made to countries that are involved in public policies to encourage bicycle tourism and its profitability. A continuous improvement program is designed to integrate the different reactivation modalities such as festivals, routes and itinerant bicycle routes, proposing marketing tools that allow the dissemination of the same, also defining the study of the seasonality of the demand in order to define the periods of attendance of bicycle tourism in the locality.
Key words: economic, activity, marketing, analysis, modalities Resumen
La presente investigación tiene por objetivo fomentar el cicloturismo como una actividad de reactivación económica en los cantones Sucre y San Vicente. La información obtenida a través de fuentes de campo y bibliográfico permitió un análisis descriptivo que consintió en definir las escala para el desarrollo del instrumento de medición. Se toma referencia a los países que están involucrados en políticas públicas para incentivar la oferta de turismo en bicicleta y su rentabilidad. Se diseña un programa de mejora continua que integra las diferentes modalidades de reactivación como festivales, rutas y ciclorutas itinerantes proponiendo herramientas de
1R+D+i Research Project: Application of Experiential Marketing in the creation, promotion, dissemination and post- earthquake positioning of the new image of the Sucre-San Vicente, Jama and Pedernales tourist destinations.
marketing que permitan la divulgación de las mismas definiendo además el estudio de estacionalidad de la demanda con la finalidad de definir las épocas de asistencia del cicloturismo en la localidad.
Palabras claves: económica, actividad, marketing, análisis, modalidades
INTRODUCTION
Ecuador is currently seeking to present tourism alternatives including cycling tourism, which is an increasingly important tourist activity in vacations worldwide. The province of Manabí has different places, privileged landscapes for tourism that allow the implementation of bicycle routes, among these are the cantons Sucre (highlighting Bahía de Caráquez as cantonal head with a broad heritage, cultural and scenic attraction, the latter attribute also includes the resorts San Jacinto, San Clemente) and San Vicente (emphasizing the rural parish of Canoa, important tourist site on the beach, known as one of the best surfing destinations in Ecuador), where by its characteristics suggest great potential for developing tourism by bicycle.
The cycling activity that since 2014 in the cantons of Sucre and San Vicente has been carried out irregularly without being installed as an activity that contributes both to the economic development of the canton or to the development of a social culture that complements the sport and the activity of tourist tour. Leaving a coverage and opportunity as a source of contribution to local economic development both urban and rural, to be limited to a group of enthusiastic local cyclists only(Ramos, 2014) .
On the supply side of the industry, the industry must be sustainable in the future, and it must satisfy tourism demand, however, very little research has been conducted on the demand side of the bicycle tourism industry in Ecuador. The timeliness of this topic is supported by the fact that the demand for active tourism is on the rise both in the world and also within tourism in Ecuador.
In the cantons of Sucre and San Vicente, cycling tourism activities have been carried out in different seasons, but they have not had the level of acceptance or the number of participants due to the lack of a publicity program that has had an impact on the national and international market, in addition to the lack of continuity of this activity, verifying the statistics of international tourist arrivals and evaluating the seasons of influx of national tourists to the cantons under study.
Cycling tourism is referred to as the combination of cycling and tourism has given rise to a new sustainable tourism modality (Moral-Moral, M., 2016) . On the other hand, the same author states that this activity supposes the realization of an alternative and sustainable tourism in which the enjoyment of the landscape or the desire to live a unique experience in contact with nature and the environment, becomes one of the main motivations of the tourist for his choice, which allows combining the realization of a sport and leisure activity.
Some researchers make reflections on the activity of cycle tourism not only as recreational but also as a sport and health activity, others as an alternative physical recreational activity as an alternative to the search for new recreational options for the enjoyment and occupation of free time (Vázquez, N., 2016).
(Oliva, J.M, 2018) argues that there is therefore no exact definition of cycle tourism. Since this term includes all forms of recreational cycling, that is, non-competitive. It designates the activity carried out by bicycle for sport, tourism and enjoyment purposes at the same time, expressly excluding everything that is competition or travel with the bicycle for exclusively utilitarian
purposes. The limits, as can be seen, are not very precise; but the expression reflects what is fundamental: cycling and tourism, not lacking, in any case, sport and cultural pleasure.
It is important to address the development of bicycle tourism as an economic reactivation activity after the natural disaster caused by the earthquake of April 16, 2016 and Covid19 affected the main commercial and tourist activities of the cantons of Sucre and San Vicente, where the levels of damage were evaluated as catastrophic, leaving a high unemployment rate (35%) due to the disappearance of existing businesses in the area.
The objective of this document is to investigate important and relevant aspects to promote bicycle tourism as an economic reactivation activity in the cantons of Sucre and San Vicente, conducting a study of the sciences to define procedures that contribute to the activity of bicycle tourism, also covering the evaluation of the historical income of international tourism in Ecuador to verify the largest arrivals of them to the country through the logical historical method trying to generate a proposal with bicycle tourism activities in the cantons under study.
METHODOLOGY
During the elaboration of this research study, the descriptive theoretical method was used in order to verify the assumptions given by the inquiry, statistical figures from the platforms of the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador and to look for answers to the strategic alternatives to position the tourist destination Sucre San Vicente in time of Covid.
Studies similar to the subject showed how to boost tourism activity in the area under study and through quantitative research, preliminary studies were carried out to observe the behavior of the influx of tourists at the country level and its behavior at the destination level, where the logical historical method allowed verifying how these statistics contribute to the study and the search for options to reactivate tourism activity under pandemic conditions of Covid19.
DEVELOPMENT
The study highlights the activities carried out from 2013 to date such as bike rides with the assistance of national participants from the area of Bahía Caráquez, San Vicente and Pedernales, also including the cantons of Portoviejo and Manta. A program designed by phases or activities oriented to a target market well directed to cultural, social and environmental programs will allow a better orientation of the cycling tourism activity as the economic reactivation of the area.
Therefore, by directing the existing cycling activity programs by the tourism departments of the GAD'S depending on the seasonality of the demand, it will be possible to increase the potential of cyclotourism.
It is important to recognize that the Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) of Ecuador is encouraging the promotion and quality services in this country, with the purpose of becoming a Tourist Power. Given the enormous importance being given to tourism, two important changes can be highlighted:
All You Need is Ecuador (2014)wascreated as an advertising strategy that sought to make Ecuador known in the international market, consisting of taking a song that is very present in the world and especially in the Anglo-Saxon target market. The song All You Need Is Love by the famous English band The Beatles which had a cost of almost a million and a half dollars, highly criticized at first but in the end managed to have a successful impact as it was positioned as number 1 in the category of tourism on Twitter and top 5 on Facebook.
Ecuador Ama La Vida, or the life of love, is another campaign with a positive message that addresses the great diversity of Ecuador's population in people, animals and plants alike, as well as the warmth and vitality of its culture. Tourism is the third largest source of economic income in Ecuador (MINISTRY OF TOURISM, 2015) , as reflected below, is the arrival of foreign tourists to the country. The following is a historical study of the arrival of tourists to the country, being these years the most representative in an increasing trend until today.
Table 1: International tourist arrivals to Ecuador.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS
MES 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 see %.
´14/´13
JANUARY 96,109 105,548 127,116 130,843 152,576 16,6
FEBRUARY 89,924 86,421 99,521 103,761 124,584 20,1
MARCH 82,452 87,495 96,948 113,359 114,007 0,6
APRIL 70,540 87,507 92,627 87,486 118,614 35,6
MAY 77,618 82,870 92,644 98,414 111,177 13,0
JUNE 91,602 99,949 118,292 121,742 129,062 6,0
JULY 110,545 117,966 130,779 138,138 154,229 11,6
AUGUST 95,229 98,962 106,375 112,569 131,694 17,0
SEPTEMBER 71,776 80,090 85,990 97,374 112,767 15,8
OCTOBER 83,701 88,357 99,145 111,517 124,456 11,6
NOVEMBER 81,253 92,573 99,674 112,056 127,562 13,8
DECEMBER 96,359 113,299 122,790 136,798 156,278 14,2
TOTAL 1´047,098 1´271,901 1´364,057 1´364,057 1´557,006 14,2
Source: (ECUADOR IN FIGURES, 2018)
The flow of foreign arrivals to Ecuador has maintained an important growing trend in the period 2010-2014, with a significant annual growth of 14% up to that year recorded by MINTUR. The 2017 and 2018 also represented a number of tourist arrivals days to the country representing $ 2,287.5 million for inbound tourism revenue. Studies show that from these years the corresponding evaluation is made with the purpose of verifying the months of greater income by countries, which allows to determine not only the levels of income and define strategies of offers to the destinations through cycling tourism as a sport, health and recreational modality. The following represents the entry of visits as a base year 2018:
Table 2: Trend of international visits by countries
NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL VISITS TO ECUADOR.
Rk Country
First quarter
Second quarter
Third
quarter oct nov Dec Jan - Dec
% part.
1 COLOMBIA 104,036 88,702 87,499 27,313 25,647 42,558 375,755 24,1 UNITED
STATES
61,021 70,927 69,431 15,494 15,995 26,600 259,468 16,7
PERU 46,631 35,777 46,175 17,443 15,344 14,308 175,678 11,3
VENEZUELA 20,390 21,390 35,796 12,747 14,296 15,176 119,795 7,7
5 SPAIN 15,486 16,672 19,154 5,248 5,504 5,588 67.652 4,3
ARGENTINA 23,120 10,850 11,499 3,671 4,116 5,351 58,607 3,8
CHILE 15,965 8,294 9,541 2,909 2,994 4,193 43,896 2,8
CUBA 5,174 8,824 11,400 4,642 5,363 6,144 41,547 2,7
GERMANY 9,248 6,208 9,430 2,933 2,820 2,678 33,317 2,1
CANADA 10,182 8,108 6,431 2,268 2,765 3,486 33,240 2,1
Total 391,167 358,853 398,690 124,456 127,562 156,278 1´557,006 100,0
Source: (ECUADOR IN FIGURES, 2018)
The main issuing markets that top this list of the top 10 countries with the highest number of arrivals to the country are Colombia, the United States and Peru.In part, these results respond to the profile of visitors that Ecuador receives. In 2013, two of the three most important origins were neighboring countries: Colombia (24%) and Peru (11%). Of these, a significant share travel to Ecuador to visit family and friends, as well as for commercial activities, and not necessarily for tourism. In addition, other Latin American countries, mainly Argentina and Chile, are important sources of tourists to Ecuador. In general, these travelers respond to a low tourism profile, prioritizing price over other attributes of the tourist offer. On the other hand, the main market of visitors with a higher spending profile corresponds to North America with 18% of international tourist arrivals, mainly from the United States (16%), Canada (2%). It is followed by the European Union, particularly Spain (3%), Germany (2%), among others.
Graph 1: Number of visitors and average expenditure by type of attraction.
Source:
MINTUR,2021
Tourists with a low spending profile -mainly young people who organize their trips on their own- visit major cities, coastal areas, national parks without specialized guides and some destinations in the highlands, where the price factor is key when selecting lodging and food services. This
contrasts with nature-related tourism (e.g., ecotourism), where international visitors, mainly long-distance (Europeans, Asians and North Americans), spend more than double the amount spent on sun and beach and cultural tourism. This data ratifies the fact that target tourism is looking for other ways of tourism, especially in terms of awareness of respect for nature.
Other statistical studies have shown that from 2015 to 2019 there was a dizzying growth in tourism activities in the country, although the 2016 earthquake reflected representative losses of hotel infrastructure in the affected provinces, in the destination Sucre San Vicente was notorious a representative decrease in tourism activity of 45% of tourists to the destination. In 2017 and 2018 due to the efforts developed by the research and outreach department of the Extension of the Universidad LaicaEloy Alfaro de Manabí, tourism activity was restored showing a growth of 65% over previous years.
For the year 2019 there is an increase in the number of tourists to the destination reflected in the results of the research and linkage projects that worked in function of the fulfillment of the planned activities in the communities of the tourist destination Sucre San Vicente. Preliminary studies show that the number of tourists to the destination grew with respect to 2019, as shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Historical level of tourist attendance at the destination
Holidays
Tourist nights
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Sucre 44% 50% 42% 11% 20.958
St. Vincent 62% 82% 58% 16% 10.567
Source: Authors, 2021
It is observed that the year 2019 was not a very representative year with respect to 2015,2016 and 2017 due to the telluric events if it is given a level of importance within the actions to revive tourism in the area, although the GDP represented 2.2% of direct contribution by tourism in the country, existing the drawback that the year 2020 the pandemic of Covid19 was the cause of an imbalance in tourist influx where the Ecuadorian economy decreased to 12.4% being one of the most affected tourist activity, the destination Sucre San Vicente to this day remains an accentuated crisis in tourism even though it is working in collaboration with governments, institutions and community to seek alternatives in the recovery of the activity.
2.3 PROGRAM TO IMPROVE CYCLING TOURISM ACTIVITY FOR THE REACTIVATION OF THE BAY AND SAN VICENTE DESTINATION
The identified route or distance is 105 km of a safe bicycle path to pedal through the Spondylus route and contemplate the beauty of Jama, Canoa, San Vicente, among other tourist sites. Bicycle circulation has been facilitated, and although the agreement does not yet cover the entire province of Manabí, you can enjoy 105 km of a safe bike path to pedal through the route and contemplate the scenery of Canoa, San Vicente, among other tourist sites.
The hotel infrastructure due to its constructive characteristics can be considered as one of the attractions to attract tourists in the area under study. There can be exceptional tourist guides and the most effective marketing, but if there are no adequate conditions for cyclists, they could circulate in an unsafe way. The Dutch state has 5 basic infrastructural conditions of how cycle tourism should be (Rotar, 2012) :
Safe (mixing with slow traffic or on special, well-designed surfaces).
Direct (whereby cyclists reach their destination along the fastest and slowest route).
Connected (continuous network).
Comfortable (smooth surfaces, straightened curbs and ramps, no obstacles...).
Attractions (having cyclists last places of tourist interest, avenues, water, banks...)
To these five conditions that were taken as a basis for implementing the bicycle tourism activity, biosafety is added, where not only the existing protocol under the country's policies should be implemented, but also the redesign of clinics or qualified premises where assistance is provided to ensure compliance with biosafety measures and first aid according to the needs of tourists.
The Bahía - San Vicente - Canoa section has ideal characteristics for bicycle traffic because it has the proper signage and viable road conditions, in addition to some aspects to consider when defining them as tourist products.
Image 1. Stretch of bicycle lane at the San Vicente Bay destination.
Source: Own elaboration, 2021
EXPECTED BENEFITS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF BICYCLE TOURISM.
In particular, the activity of bicycle tourism is taken up again because of its relevance to health and because of the peculiar characteristics of the tourist destination, based on theoretical criteria and stereotypes of tourist activities in other countries under current conditions. For this purpose,
it has been considered to implement actions, policies and activities that contribute to the following standards of living of the population of the destination and the tourist, such as:
1. Improve the health of the population: Forty to fifty percent of the population of the European Union has a sedentary lifestyle due to work, which increases a risk for overweight and is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. According to the World Health Organization guidelines the European Union recommends the use of bicycles.
Bicycle tourism is one of the most important modalities of physical recreation in the parish areas of Bahía de Caráquez and San Vicente should be considered as a necessity for the population, so there should be regular activities in the use of bicycles, not only for adults but for all ages. It is expected that the population of both parishes will see the bicycle as another alternative means of transportation since the regular distances that are made to mobilize is relatively short, especially when traveling to work, thus also combating the lack of physical activity.
2. Environmental Protection: Widespread use of a bicycle as a means of transport helps to reduce the negative effect of automobile transport, in particular, noise, gas emissions and dust particles. A significant improvement of infrastructure and other conditions for bicycle transport can considerably increase the popularity of this mode of transport and favor a portion of tourism development.
3. Tourism development: The development of bicycle tourism is one of the important opportunities for sustainable tourism development, especially for this area of Manabí with a varied landscape and a wide palette of landscapes in a relatively small territory.
Cycling has a great potential for development in regions with attractive natural environment, many of which face the problem of high unemployment rate. In this destination cycling tourism would be concentrated in the vacations of tourists from the highlands region with the opportunity to better plan the use of its capacity between the months of July to September and from November to February international tourism.
POLICIES AND MEASURES FOR BICYCLE MOBILITY.
Among its objectives are intended to be developed according to the criteria of specialist in the subject and the activities embodied in the research projects of the Extension are:
- To propose the massive use of bicycles in Ecuador as a transversal policy that facilitates the fulfillment of the Good Living.
- Facilitate the creation of the necessary infrastructure for the massive use of bicycles in Ecuador.
- Facilitate the creation of a bicycle manufacturing industry at the national and regional level. (AMBASSY ECUADOR)
The Ecuadorian Master Plan for the Massification of Bicycle Use (PMBE) should align key issues on communication, training and strengthen horizontal interaction between the institutions involved. In several cities around the world, the importance of promoting the use of public space through actions such as urban regeneration, the inclusion of green spaces in buildings and the temporary reconversion of places is being discussed Manifesto of the Union of Cyclists of Ecuador (BICIUNION, 2014) .
In the parishes of Bahía de Caráquez and San Vicente (cantonal capitals) would help to increase the number of people traveling by bicycle to replace the use of automobiles for short trips. It is important that mobility is inclusive, that people with disabilities have autonomy on the bike path.
It also helps children to be able to move independently at an early age. With these proposed policies, it helps the population to feel safer and facilitates local cycling mobility, as well as the supply-demand market of national and international cycling tourism trade.
PROPOSAL OF CYCLING TOURISM MODALITIES TO REACTIVATE THE TOURIST ACTIVITY OF THE DESTINATION
1. TINKU AVENTURA CHEVROLET FESTIVAL
It is carried out during four weekends in the cities of Canoa, San Vicente and Bahía de Caráquez, in the province of Manabí, proposed by the Ministry of Tourism with the sponsorship of private organizations. The first evaluations of these activities will be made in the cantons of Sucre and San Vicente. Cycling tourism should not be limited to tourism. A step further is provided by the belief that cycling is an important part of the mobility of citizens. Well-developed, it can help increase interest in cycling every day.
2. ART ON DEBRIS ROUTE
Art on debris is an intervention activity that has been an initiative of the Bahía de Caráquez Museum in conjunction with urban artists in the area. Since April 29 this activity is being carried out and has caused a positive impact on the citizens affected by the earthquake, the intention is to help the population to leave the trauma caused by the daily demolition of houses in the city, graffiti and murals with phrases like "Bahía Renace", "Fuerza Bahía", "La música de tu mar nuncamorirá", also included are murals with iconographies of Jama-Coaque stamps or Manteña culture, the project has also covered other affected cantons of Manabí.
Another of the activities of the Bahia Museum is to offer tourists the "Route Art on Rubble"
which is a bicycle tour of the sites where they have been intervened with these murals. It gives historical reference of the place where there was once a building, information of the population and the city, it is a permanent service that is at the service of the visitor with the mediation of the guide of the Bahia de Caráquez Museum.
Artists give life to rubble left by the earthquake in Manabí. Paints of different colors, brushes, paintbrushes, enthusiasm, commitment and a lot of will are the tools with which, day by day, a group of urban artists in Manabí is armed. The initiative is promoted by the Bahía de Caráquez Museum (one hour from Manta). (El Universo, 2016)
3. ITINERANT CYCLING ROUTES
This type of cyclotourism represents an alternative approach to a markedly traditional type of tourism, based on guided tours and places of historical interest. It is very dynamic since it is about being able to make different routes in all its forms in terms of difficulty of terrain-distance, it can be as much as a bike ride through the city, a road route or downhill in a mountain. It is also important to emphasize that a tourist can either make a long-distance cycling trip for several days independently or by contract with a local tour operator.
Several groups of cycling enthusiasts, especially "BAHIAVENTURA" and "MOUNTAIN BIKE BAHÍA DE CARÁQUEZ" have made several cycling routes with friends and interested people from both parishes (Bahía and San Vicente). Among them are:
City Bike tour route. It is a tour of the tourist attractions of the city, those that are most representative of its identity and with relevant historical value. Among them are "Art on Rubble"
which are murals in the places affected by the earthquake of 16A that represent the socio-cultural activity of the area reflecting a combination of colors and reviews of the Manabita culture.
Route "Ciclovía Bahía - Canoa". It is a 40 km. outward/return route and takes two hours of linear pedaling in the safe area for bicycles, with the coastal profile on one side of the bike path with certain places with access to the beach before reaching Canoa showing a beach route and landscaping typical of the area. It is for people with medium-high resistance, it is recommended for young-adult public.
Route "Bosque Cerro Seco". This route is for mountain bikers that is located in the equatorial tropical dry forest of the Tumbesina region, in the place is a magical world of tropical forest flora and a privileged climate. The route oscillates between 200 to 300 meters for an adrenaline- charged descent, act for extreme sports and mountaineering. The target public is young people and/or people of high physical resistance.
Route "Playa Chirije". It is a 15 km tour along the beach to Chirije. In front of the beach there is an in-situ archaeological museum of the Chirije culture with an influence of the Manteña- Huancavilca culture. You can find rustic bamboo huts with solar energy; nestled in a secluded region of tropical dry forest with the waves a few meters away. It is an adventure/cultural tour recommended for everyone.
Route "La Fortuna". Traveled in a detour of Briceño, it is a dirt road with exuberant nature, along the way you can find fruit trees and rest areas; you will also pass-through farms dedicated to agriculture and livestock. On weekends they prepare typical Manabi food.
Route "Las Fragatas". It is a bicycle tour of 8 km along the road and a stretch to Puerto Portovelo, you can enjoy a guide in the knowledge about the nature of the place, between sightings of birds such as red-breasted frigate birds, as well as other migratory and endemic birds existing in this area.
PROMOTIONAL TOOLS
The GAD Sucre and San Vicente should work together to put together a strategic plan for targeted and efficient advertising in the local environment and abroad (online advertising, social networks, product advertisements, posters, and others).
Messages aimed precisely at a particular target group, and direct marketing activities help marketing. Various sales promotion activities have to be targeted with respect to market characteristics, target groups and set objectives. Various tools: promotional videos, attendance at trade fairs, presentations, events dedicated to cycling tourism, distribution of promotional materials and workshops help to position cycling products to a more effective market.
At the end of the day, however, the future of Sucre and San Vicente's success in bicycle tourism development rests on effective marketing. A statewide approach to marketing and "branding"
both cantons as a bicycle tourism destination would be a step in the right direction, as destination branding can serve as a vessel for attracting visitors and spending to specific destinations.
SEASONALITY STUDY
The following analysis of the seasonality of the demand is a way to potentiate bicycle tourism for national and foreign tourists that is made available to them, suggestions that can be used in a non-strict way in its use. During the vacation season in the Sierra region from July to September, there are more bicycle route activities because it is the summer season with less rainfall in this area.
Carnival season, as discussed in Table4, is the time of greatest affluence and tourist movement in the country; socio/cultural routes (art on debris route) and adventure (Chirije beach route) are
proposed according to the winter season. During the week, it is ideal for cultural and family routes with bike rides in the city and on bike paths. During the Christmas season, there is the possibility of putting activities on the bike paths, along the beach and in the city, as this is the time of year when most foreigners visit the country and also because of the rainy season.
Table 4: Seasonal analysis.
SEASONS MONTH ACTIVITIES SPECIFICATIONS
CARNIVALS FEBRUARY
-ROUTE ART ON DEBRIS.
It is a bicycle tour through the sites where it has been intervened with murals.
Historical reference is given to the place where there used to be a building.
CHIRIJE BEACH ROUTE
It is a 15 km walk along the beach to Chirije. There is an on- site archaeological museum.
CERRO SECO FOREST ROUTE.
This is a route for mountain bikers that is located in the equatorial tropical dry forest of the Tumbesina region.
HOLY WEEK MAY
-ROUTE ART ON DEBRIS.
It is a bicycle tour through the sites where the murals have been intervened. Historical reference is given to the place where there used to be a building.
ROUTE CICLOVIA BAHÍA - CANOA
It is a 40 km and two hours of linear pedaling in the safe zone for bicycles, with the coastal profile on one side.
HOLIDAYS JULY - SEPT
ROUTE THE FRIGATES.
It is an 8 km bike ride, you can enjoy nature and bird sightings such as red-breasted frigate birds.
CERRO SECO FOREST ROUTE.
This is a route for mountain bikers that is located in the equatorial tropical dry forest of the Tumbesina region.
LA FORTUNA ROUTE
It is a dirt road with exuberant nature, with fruit trees and rest areas along the way;
ROUTE CICLOVIA BAHÍA - CANOA
It is a 40 km and two hours of linear pedaling in the safe zone for bicycles, with the coastal profile on one side.
CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER
ROUTE ART ON DEBRIS.
It is a bicycle tour through the sites where the murals have been intervened. Historical reference is given to the place where there used to be a building.
ROUTE CICLOVIA BAHÍA - CANOA
It is a 40 km and two hours of linear pedaling in the safe zone for bicycles, with the coastal profile on one side.
YEAR END
CHIRIJE BEACH ROUTE
It is a 15 km walk along the beach to Chirije. There is an on- site archaeological museum.
ROUTE CICLOVIA BAHÍA - CANOA
It is a 40 km and two hours of linear pedaling in the safe zone for bicycles, with the coastal profile on one side.
Source: Authors,2021 Conclusions
The arrival of international tourists from Anglo-Saxon countries are the main drivers of this environmental and conservationist movement, with the development and implementation of public policies, so that the population also has the option of alternative means of transport such as bicycles, specifically in target market countries such as the United States (16%), Canada (2%).
This is followed by the European Union, in particular Spain (3%), Germany (2%).
The itinerant bicycle tourism routes mentioned in this study include attractions and resources with diversified landscapes, flora/fauna and different climatic zones in a relatively small geographic space, which could result in the emergence of small economic enterprises by the owners of farms that are in the circulation path of the cycloadventurers.
The influx of domestic tourists is marked by the student vacation period in the highlands region (Sierra), and whose parents move with their families to the Ecuadorian coast, among other destinations. During holidays such as Carnival, Easter, Christmas and New Year's Eve, a large number of national and foreign tourists travel to Ecuador, taking advantage of this season with functional strategies proposed in the marketing plan.
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