Universidad de Especialidades Turísticas UCT New alternatives of ...

Universidad de Especialidades TurísticasUCTNew alternatives of Tourism in TungurahuaProvinceAmazing Tungurahua2 Days / 1 Night3 Passengers from Japan45 years average agePrepared by Franklin ViñansacaTeacher: Dr. Pablo LeonNational Tourist GuideQuito, April / 2010

DEDICATIONSI dedicate my work to my family, who supported me during all the time incollege.To my father because with his great effort since the beginning of my studiesand so far, has made this was possible in my life, thanks for all that love andcomprehension you gave me.To my mother who gave me love, advice and showed me in every stage of lifethe right way to reach my dreams.To my sisters Monica and Jennifer; my brother Pablo; Who helped me tocomplete this job; my uncle Fausto and all my family; thanks because youencouraged me all the time.Franklin Medardo Viñansaca1

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSI would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Pablo Leon, whoseexpertise, understanding, and patience, added considerably to my trip. Iappreciate his vast knowledge and skill in many areas.I must also thank all the teachers, whose knowledge, motivation andencouragement they shared with me, for the valuable advice that became me agood leader, a tourist guide. I doubt that I will ever be able to convey myappreciation fully, but I owe them my eternal gratitude.Very special thanks goes out to Mr. Alonso Pilla and his family from theSalasaca Community for taking time out from his busy schedule to share hisKnowledge and his house during the tour.I would also like to thank my family for the support they provided me throughmy entire life and in particular, I must acknowledge my father and mentor,Medardo; my mother and best friend, Patricia, without whose love,encouragement and financial assistance, I would not have finished this tour.2

INTRODUCTIONEcuador contains within its borders an improbable variety of landscapeand culture, is one of the most beautiful, privileged countries in the word. Thisis a curious country that has numerous appeals, its strong natural seduction inwhich we can emphasize a series of volcanoes and mountains that surroundand guard from up high.After I concluded my studies, It arrives the hour to demonstrate all the capacityI have learned, to be a guide. All the work was elaborated during one month, inwhich the development and operation of the itinerary should be coordinated.I had to put on approval all the knowledge I have learned in two days. Thedestination was Tungurahua province. From Quito capital of Ecuador, webegan the trip, in direction to the south through the route in which The Germanscientist Alexander Von Humboldt named it as volcano highway, owing to thelandscapes and all the volcanoes that surround this zone.It is located in between northern and central mountain range. From the mainhighway it is possible to enjoy amazing landscapes, its volcanoes such as GuagaPichincha, Rucu Pichincha, Atacazo, Corazón, Pasochoa, Sincholagua, and3

Antisana and also at the southern part of this zone it is possible to see thebeautiful Tungurahua and Chimborazo volcanoes. These attractions and moremake this country unique and awesome.There is a net of paths, routes and sub-routes that allow us to discovercommunities and attractions, settled along each of them, which show us a hugenumber of attractions that appear during the trip with cities such as Quito,Tambillo, Machachi, Latacunga, Salcedo, Ambato, Pelileo, and Baños and so on.The tour began in Quito on April 24 th 2010, after going by some cities andfollowing the main route, we could see the Cutuchi and Patate rivers.We had some activities in the itinerary, the first day we visited an indigenousmarket in Latacunga city, then we continued until Ambato city where we hadthe lunch, then we visited the Salasaca community where we had a walk ofapproximately one hour, later we visited a workshop, their handcrafts and wevisited a local Shaman, where we had an extraordinary experience.The second day it awaited and it was time of having another vision of theprovince, we continued until Pelileo where we visited a market that is famous4

for its production, the blue jean, and then following the Patate River we arrivedto the city of Baños.In this beautiful and amazing place we had the opportunity to enjoy the bañode cajon (steam bath), spell in a hot steamy room followed by a plunge into coldwater or a light brushing with birch or cedar boughs, and finally we returned toQuito.5

DEVELOPMENTJUSTIFICATIONBefore selecting the main itinerary, I analyzed the tour and studied the differentcharacteristics that the tourist has; such as: nationality, age and the tourmotivation then I had to recognize the Tungurahua province, first, searchinginformation about all the beautiful places that this province has, locating in themap, reading about its history then selecting all the best opinion, before this Ihad to take into account that in my tour I have 3 tourists from Japan, theaverage in the age was 45.In Tungurahua province I began to visit the indigenous communities, I startedto look for new alternatives and I traveled around the province, looking for acommunity but it was so difficult because the communities are distant andwhen I arrived all the people were working in their lands, or they traveled tothe cities to sell their products.I traveled to Patate, a valley located after Pelileo city, two and half hours fromQuito, because I thought one of the good options could be to visit an Hacienda,but, when I was visiting the zone I found a community called Salasaca.6

I prepare three different itineraries, from which I chose the one that I namedAmazing Tungurahua.In the itinerary I chose, I included this interesting place, because I couldappreciate all its beauty, with its landscapes, customs, traditions and adventure.The first time I visited Salasaca community I was impressed, especially becauseI met a man, Alonso Pilla, who is working with his family in a touristic projectin the zone, he is improving this place, specially trying to show his community,his tradition and his knowledge, at the same time he is trying to involve all thecommunity in this big project; I think it is very important because He isworking for his people. Then he invited me to visit his house where he is tryingto set up a lodge with typical decorations.For me it was perfect because, at that time, I realized that it could be a greatexperience for my passengers, and I decided to work in this project.I think this is the best itinerary from three, because the Japanese tourists like toshare with the communities, they like to know how communities live or whatthey do, and they like to know how indigenous made their clothes because incommunity the loom is an activity that they do in an individual way, also theJapanese tourists like to visit communities that keep their believes, their clothes,their customs.Japanese tourists like to enjoy the different activities and the most they like isthe flora with beautiful landscapes, especially in this area the hot spot for the7

American is the Volcanoes Avenue, the photography also is one of the thingsthat they enjoy doing.They also like to walk and the trip to the Salasaca workshop is the best, therethey could have entertainment with handicrafts.I considered the basic services for my tourists, and Alonso`s lodge was a goodoption because it is a typical place with all the comfort that the tourists need,with a beautiful landscape, with the sharing work of the community.According to the expectative of my tourists, I organized a visit of a localShaman, who made a performance about a healing and taught us about theirbelief.The first day we had Ecuadorian typical food; in the lunch we enjoyed thetypical Cuy (Guinea pig) with potatoes; for dinner In Alonso`s house we hadsoup of quinoa.According to the motivation and to the age of the passengers, the destinationfor the second day was the city of Baños, where we could find a huge range ofplaces and attractions.In this place we visited a spa, where tourists could relax and enjoy the baño decajon (steam bath), this is a hot steamy box followed by a plunge into coldwater, and this was a time for relaxing.8

ITINERARYDAY 18h008h00 – 9h309h30 – 10h0010h30 – 12h3012h30 – 13h3013h30 – 14h4514h45 – 15h0015h00 – 18h0018h00 – 19h3020h00Pick upTrip through Avenue of the VolcanoesVisit Latacunga MarketTrip to AmbatoLunchTrip to Salasaca Hostal Runa HuasiRooming listVisit Salasaca workshop (2h30 aprox)Ritual - shamán (1h aprox)DinnerDAY 28h00 – 9h009h30 – 10h3010h30 – 12h3012h30 – 13h3013h30 – 17h3017h30BreakfastTrip to Bañosbaño de cajon (steam bath)LunchReturn to QuitoArrival9

ACTIVITIES DURING THE TOURIn general the itinerary was completed according to the plan; I did not have anyoperation or coordination problem, but after accomplishing the itinerary, I havesome annotations that I describe per day.DAY 1The tour started at 08:00, I traveled with three teachers, during the first hours Ifelt nervous, but as time passed I felt trusted and in certain point supported bythe thesis tribunal.In Latacunga We had the first stop, where I had a setback in the itinerary, it wasabout 20 minutes but this did not have any repercussion in the attainment of thetour. Then we arrived to Ambato at 12:40 a.m. as I had planned to have thedelicious and traditional lunch, the Cuy (Guinea pig), potatoes and avocado,after the lunch we continued until Salasaca Community.The first day was very important because I learned from my teachers, all theadvice and knowledge specially information about flora, and at the same timethey helped me to grow professionally.10

DAY 2In this day there was a change in the itinerary, because we should have visitedthe market for jeans in Pelileo, yet we head for the city of Baños, this changewas decided by all members of the dissertation.We arrived at 10h10, We walked toward the central park, then we visited thechurch of our Lady of Baños de Agua Santa, because it is characterized byreligiosity in the town, during this time we learned his customs and traditions.Then we went to the Spa, and it was a really good experience, because it was adifferent activity where my tourists relaxed.I think it is important tourists felt comfortable, happy and they enjoyed theentire trip.At the end of the tour I received the final indications and advice from thetribunal, I all the itinerary was accomplished11

CONCLUSIONI consider that the real guiding is the most important part of the studies, it is themoment when you are in front of a group and you apply all the knowledge youhave learned. It is important the theory but the real learning is when you livethe real situation.I think the final exam for obtaining the degree as a tourist guide, is the best partof the evaluation.12

RECOMMENDATIONTo carry out the itinerary according to that foreseen we should revise andcoordinate with the tenders of services, before and during the activities.We should assimilate all learned during the days of evaluation; it is the key forour labour success.13