Perspectivas sobre el turismo en la Comunidad Andina de Naciones. Análisis comparativo con el mercosur

Abstract

The Andean Community of Nations (can) aspires towards a comprehensive project of integration, exceeding the scope of trade agreements. It is within this context that Latin American and Caribbean governments have become increasingly interested in integration in the area of tourism due to this sector’s ability to generate currency and encourage private investment, job creation, inclusion, and the formation of links between small businesses and local communities. At the same time, tourism can also help strengthen regional and subregional identities. Tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in developing countries and is recognized as a factor that contributes to the reduction of poverty and to economic growth. It should therefore be seen as an opportunity for development in the can nations, above all because the Andean bloc’s member states boast a diverse range of tourist attractions comprising both natural and cultural resources of great appeal. This paper analyzes trends in the flow of tourists in the can countries and outlines a comparative study with the Mercosur bloc. It then presents a matrix that allows the scale of outbound intra-regional tourism in both cases to be observed at a glance, enabling conclusions to be drawn based on the data observed and compared. Finally, the paper makes several proposals that the four Andean countries could develop within the scope of horizontal co-operation in terms of joint promotion and the participation of regional cities in the Mercociudades network.