Abstract:

The global tourism industry demands fresh ideas and complementary initiatives for sustained growth and resilience, particularly in the wake of recent COVID-19-related restrictions and lockdowns that have disproportionately impacted travel, tourism, and hospitality worldwide. These necessary innovations can encompass non-technological elements such as organizational or business models, as well as technological components including digital technologies, e-tourism, travel apps, and more. This research seeks to introduce a novel theoretical framework aimed at revitalizing the regional tourism sector in the prominent travel destination of Tungurahua province in Ecuador. The goal is to provide enhanced tourism experiences that deliver added value and prevent further stagnation and decline within both the local and regional tourism industries. Through a combination of comprehensive face-to-face meetings and surveys, this study engaged industry professionals, tourism experts, tourists, government representatives, and key stakeholders associated with enhancing tourism in Tungurahua. Our findings indicate that a fresh, synergistic, and collaborative approach among tourism stakeholders holds the potential to generate innovative tourist services and solutions. This collective effort seeks to address the ongoing challenges confronted by the global tourism, hospitality, and travel sectors. The proposed tailored tourism offerings, products, innovations, and promotional strategies primarily draw upon advanced technology. Ultimately, these innovations and adaptive strategies, guided by dynamic mindsets, forecasts, and technological advancements, have the potential to foster long-term growth in tourism for Tungurahua.

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