Inventories of tourist attractions as an instrument for territorial management

Abstract

Tourism attraction inventories provide information for local planning, but their usefulness depends on record currency, traceability, and spatial accuracy. This study aimed to examine the historical tourism attraction inventory of San Francisco de Milagro canton, Ecuador, as a basis for territorial management. A descriptive, retrospective documentary approach was applied to a technical report published by CLIRSEN in 2009, using tourism information from 2007–2008, together with an analysis of national and municipal regulations. Four entries were systematized: Las Cataratas, the Milagro River, the Cantonization Festival, and the Julio Gamboa Museum. Two entries were natural sites (50%), one was classified as a sociopolitical event (25%), and one as a museum (25%); three were listed as publicly maintained (75%) and one as privately maintained (25%). Las Cataratas and the Milagro River were assigned level II in the historical ranking table. Although the source documented classification and management-related attributes, it did not permit verification of the attractions' present condition, accessibility, or status in 2026. The historical inventory therefore provides a useful documentary baseline for identifying resources and updating needs, rather than sufficient evidence of the current tourism offering. Its practical application calls for data cleaning, validated georeferencing, and integration with municipal planning.