Strategic Environmental Assessment of Towns in Ecuador with Tourism Potential

Abstract

The aim of this study is to apply the methodology for assessment of environmental impact whether of a physicochemical nature and on the biodiversity and ecosystems, or whether sociocultural and economic aspects of the historic towns with tourism interest that are assessed. The automated method of the RIAM software is used which requires a baseline study of the environment of different towns to be prepared. In addition, the analysis of the social perception on tourism of the local people from the course work of students at the UIDE shall be applied. The conclusions of the case studies undertaken allow for strategic proposals and recommendations to be prepared so that they can be incorporated into the management plans for tourism in the historic towns with heritage value.

Landscapes of Andenes and Sustainable Infrastructure in Andean Cities

“…Education and environmental disclosure need to be reinforced encompassing all the bodies, institutions and the community. It is imperative to develop programs for improvement and training of those who make decisions, technicians and workers in general (Ruiz, 2016) [20].…”

Environmental Assessment for Health Tourism in Baños de Agua Santa, Ecuador

“…In order to carry out the study, a The method of carrying out a baseline assessment of the environment was employed, which was done using the strategic environmental assessment tool known as Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM), [25] The RIAM method is appropriate because it favors an investigation being undertaken by a team of multidisciplinary investigators, given that the data from different towns are assessed and can be analyzed thus providing a clear evaluation of the main impacts [26] The study also looked at the social perception that local residents have of tourism through semi-structured interviews with local subjects, in order to gauge their perceptions of tourism in their community [27] To do this, a total of four visits were made to the town of Baños by professors and students of the…”

Adverse Environmental Effects of Tourism on Communities in the Ecuadorian Highlands Region

“…Other authors (Sadler, 2003;Ruiz, 2000), propose that environmental impact is the direct and indirect consequences of a beneficial (positive) or adverse (negative) nature, which are produced by humans to natural and socio-economic systems on which their well-being depends, as the result of an environmental change caused by an action or set of actions of natural or anthropic origins. Ruiz (2016) argues that public works, such as the construction of a highway, a city, an industry, recreational areas or any similar activity has an impact on the environment.…”