The mama negra festival as a generator of domestic tourist travel to the canton of Latacunga
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63688/vh2qwg02Keywords:
Mama Negra, domestic tourism, cultural tourism, tourist mobility, LatacungaAbstract
Introduction: The Mama Negra Festival in Latacunga combines cultural heritage, religious traditions, and civic expressions that may motivate travel from other Ecuadorian destinations. Objective: To analyse its role as a driver of domestic tourism using documentary evidence while distinguishing overall attendance, same-day visits, and overnight tourism. Methodology: A descriptive and analytical document review was conducted using scientific studies, heritage sources, and the municipality’s 2024 accountability report. Findings were organised into cultural, mobility, economic, and destination-management dimensions; no original surveys were conducted. Results: Previous studies confirm the festival’s tourist appeal and the importance of identifying visitors’ places of residence. For November 2024, the municipality estimated approximately 102,000 attendees, average expenditure of USD 35 per person, and economic activity of USD 3,584,000. It also reported that more than half of visitors stayed overnight in the city. These institutional estimates do not adequately distinguish residents from non-resident domestic visitors. Conclusions: The festival is a cultural attraction associated with local economic activity, but total attendance alone cannot establish the precise size of domestic tourist flows. Standardised records of place of residence, trip motivation, overnight stays, and expenditure are recommended.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Freddy Leonardo Garaicoa Fuentes, Lady Narcisa Toala Aguilera, Daysi Daniela Pacurucu Carangui, Andrea Elizabeth Paz Aos, Nube del Rocío Riera Riera Suarez, Lisbeth Roxana Garcia Ramirez (Autor/a)
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