The touristification of stairways in urban tourist destinations. The case of El Panecillo, Quito – Ecuador

Abstract

This article examines the touristification of stairways in urban tourist destinations, focusing on the case of the northeast access stairways to El Panecillo hill in the city of Quito, Ecuador. There is no tourism analysis on the proposed topic that allows for territorial recognition for the purpose of tourism development in this area. The defined objective is to analyze the process of touristification of the stairways on the northeast access to El Panecillo hill, through applied research to assess their condition. The research covers the conceptualization of the phenomenon of touristification of spaces in urban tourist destinations, as well as a qualitative methodological proposal that involves the definition of research elements with documentary analysis and participatory observation in on-site visits. In addition, the study areas on the aforementioned stairways are identified and delimited to facilitate the collection, systematization, and presentation of results. The results show that although there have been urban recovery plans for this area, they focus on architecture without a tourism perspective, despite the fact that the stairways offer scenic, heritage, and historical resources that can be exploited for tourism.