TOURISM GOVERNANCE IN 5 INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES OF INÍRIDA, GUAINÍA, COLOMBIA: A STUDY BASED ON THE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM CRITERIA, GSTC-D

Abstract

This article presents the main findings of a research study on sustainable tourism in five Indigenous communities in the municipality of Inírida, Guainía (Colombia). These communities inhabit a territory of exceptional biological and cultural richness, located within the Estrella Fluvial de Inírida (EFI), a strategic ecosystem recognized as a Ramsar site. The area also features one of the region’s most iconic natural attractions: the Mavecure Hills. The study was conducted using the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s Destination Criteria (GSTC-D 2019), and analyzes opportunities and challenges related to environmental, cultural, socioeconomic, and governance sustainability. One of the key findings is that participatory governance—particularly through the local Ramsar committee, a governance structure ruled by the Environmental Ministry of Colombia—is fundamental for tourism territorial management, the development of tourism products, and community ownership of tourism initiatives. Strategic guidelines are proposed throughout a gap analysis to help consolidate a sustainable road guide tourism model that connects local stakeholders, promotes social equity, and contributes to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. Adopting a qualitative and exploratory methodology, data collection was conducted through two field visits, participant and active observation, and seventeen semi-structured interviews. Key actors included community leaders, public officials, tourism operators, and tourists. The collected information was coded using NVivo to identify patterns.  The GSTC-D criteria was then employed to create an evaluation tool “Gap analysis”.