Individuals who establish and operate businesses within the tourism industry, offering services such as accommodations, tours, transportation, and recreational activites to travelers. They innovate, invest, and manage ventures to meet the needs and desires of tourist while contributing to the growth and sustainability of tourism destinations.
Published in Chapter:
Informality and Tourist Development on the Ecuadorian Coast
Copyright: © 2024
|Pages: 15
DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3693-6260-0.ch005
Abstract
The informal economy is a complex phenomenon occurring in various forms and degrees worldwide. In Ecuador, the informal sector represents 46.5% of the economy. This research aimed to analyze the informal trade in the tourism sector of Playas Cantón, Ecuador and its relationship with the regional economic development. A quantitative approach through a structured survey with actors involved in tourism (tourists, residents, informal traders, tourism entrepreneurs, and local authorities) was used during March-April 2023, reaching a sample of 150 participants. Results showed that the informal sector is an essential part of the tourism economy in Playas. Multiple causes/factors drive and sustain it: lack of formal job opportunities, flexibility in working hours, lack of regulation and sanitary control, and insecurity in the area. Implementing policies and measures to address informality is necessary, including formalizing and training informal workers to strengthen regulation and control of informal activities and ensure sustainable development.