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Abstract
Rural tourism is a key strategy to promote sustainable growth in areas with cultural and natural wealth but facing socioeconomic and structural challenges. The objective of this study was to analyze rural tourism as a development strategy in the Juncal parish, assessing its potential in cultural, natural, and community resources. The research was quantitative, applied, descriptive, non-experimental, and cross-sectional. A Likert-type survey was conducted with 260 residents involved in rural tourism, and the data were analyzed using Excel and SPSS to determine reliability, normality, and correlations. Rural tourism promotes employment growth, income generation, and cultural preservation. Likewise, a significant relationship was found between community organization, environmental conservation, and the sustainable development of local rural tourism. The study concludes that rural tourism, when well-managed and participatively planned, constitutes a viable strategy for the economic and social development of the inhabitants of Juncal parish.
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