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1. Introduction
When tourism is developed in rural environments and is self-managed by the resident community, it has a greater component with sustainability in the territory [1,2]. However, in some cases tourism with inadequate management can be an element that generates tensions in the territory [3,4]. Similarly, in some cases tourism is planned by the communities and this generates an appropriation of the territory [3,4].
Given the transdisciplinary characteristics of tourism it becomes a complex matter to try to give a meaning, the definitions proposed by different authors make a quite polysemic epistemic debate [5]. Since this activity is the object of study of different disciplines; and the scientific approaches to tourism are given by the disciplinary training of each of the different authors. Similarly, in the case of community-based tourism, this activity takes into account different elements [6].
Nevertheless, some travelers consider that rural community-based tourism allows for a better tourism experience, so it could be argued that rural community-based tourism is perhaps one of the major tourism morphologies in demand today [7]. Also, despite the fact that community-based tourism has great potential for rural inhabitants, there are few documented experiences in the territory and even though it is a high-impact tourism phenomenon at present, there are also few academic proposals and almost no tourism policies for this segment of rural community-based tourism.
On the other hand, sometimes community members are opposed to tourism development; and it is here where the social problems of the territory have a greater impact [8]. Rural community-based tourism has as its axiom the appropriation of the community and its incorporation in the development of tourism activities [9,10].
Likewise, in order to achieve sustainable tourism development, it is essential to carry out activities that do not deteriorate natural resources and that generate value for the socioeconomic development of the community [11,12]. Thus, it must be sustainable and at the same time authentic, since tourists are increasingly seeking original experiences [13].
However, community-based tourism activity tends to generate several clashes between communities and some productive sectors since, in terms of territorial development, the locals defend the environment while private enterprise and the productive sector have a more lucrative and less respectful concept of the environment [14]. The above indicates that tourism activity does not always enjoy unanimous acceptance and that its execution should be focused on social purposes and community environments, in accordance with the principles established.
This research was developed from a case study, in the Agroparque located in the Municipality of Sibaté. Taking into account that this research carries out a process with the purpose of identifying the factors that determine tourism development in the rural territory, its relationship with the communities and the solidarity economy. It should be noted that the elements of management for the development of tourism vary, depending on the characteristics of the community.
It is important to point out that in Colombia there are research studies associated in a descriptive way with case studies and in some cases with qualitative information gathering. However, this research proposes a measurement and evaluation so that community tourism initiatives can measure the elements of management. Similarly, rural tourism and community tourism require actions from the academy to identify the strengths and improvement opportunities to establish in tourism initiatives.
Tourism development requires a series of actions from the communities. However, the installed capacity of tourism must be strengthened, as well as the development of models that allow for the qualification of the elements that must be taken into account for individual and collective organization. In the same way, the development of a suitable offer in the territories requires solidarity processes through all the people who participate in the offer of such services. Taking into account that this offer is developed on a small scale and requires a collective organization, in accordance with common objectives [15].
For this purpose, this article describes the appropriation and management of rural community-based tourism based on what was found in the Sibateando Agropark in the Municipality of Sibaté, Department of Cundinamarca. There, a diagnosis is made based on a dialogue with the community in order to analyze the development of tourism, to know the organization, the potential and the development of the solidarity economy.
1.1. Theoretical framework
Host communities can practice community-based tourism in a sustainable manner from a socioeconomic aspect [9]. The community should be included in the process of sustainable tourism development, but primarily the community should be informed about these concepts in order to know the perception of all parties [15]. However, it can be defined as a small-format tourism modality, established in rural areas and in the local population, through its organizational structures [5].
It is necessary to make an efficient diagnosis of the region, identify the social, territorial, cultural and economic elements, it should be taken into account that the involvement of the local population with visitors can be perceived as a risk or an opportunity depending on how it is managed [16]. Nonetheless, it is crucial to count on the union of the community and stakeholders in the management, planning process, marketing and promotion [17,18].
Rural community-based tourism, however, is based in both developed and developing contexts, emphasizing location as a primary defining characteristic, sustainable development and community aspects [20]. Therefore, it has been a growth marker in recent decades. The fact that it generates foreign exchange and income, attracts local labor, stimulates associated value chains, and enhances the value of heritage, among other things, has led to growing interest in the sector [21].
It is of utmost importance to have the support of the State and non-governmental organizations [22]. Tourism contributes to improving the economic and sociocultural situation of indigenous communities, facilitating and promoting critical principles such as self-determination, autonomy, reciprocity, among others, as well as helping to conserve and care for ancestral traditions [22].
It is necessary to ensure that the community appropriates the cultural and historical values, generating a sense of belonging that allows them to recognize the importance of conserving the resources and giving them a responsible use [23]. In addition, it emerged as an alternative to mass tourism, where travel agencies integrate experiences to communities [24,25].
The main strategy of rural tourism is to preserve family heritage, compensate for the decline in agricultural income and diversify the rural economy [26,27]. Likewise, rural tourism continues to be a good practice because it reflects social and environmental benefits [2]. In addition, it contributes to the economic, social, cultural and environmental development of society [28].
Rural tourism is becoming increasingly important and is emerging as a development axis with greater potential [8]. However, it respects the natural and historical heritage of a rural culture and society that offers a wide range of entertainment possibilities [29,30]. However, the development of rural and community-based tourism should demonstrate the contribution to the development of common objectives and have dialogue processes to democratize the benefits and generate a contribution to the development of the communities in a sustainable way. In other words, in order to achieve the objectives of sustainability, the common good of people and the environment must be taken into account.
Rural tourism trends propose activities that generate new experiences [31,32] such as creating tourism products based on the idea of short routes, creating too many products [33]. These experiences are a fundamental part of tourism development, since the demand is what determines the market, the trends and establishes a dynamic that, if accepted by the community, generates an impulse for this form of tourism in the territory [34,32].
Rural tourism is usually characterized by not generating crowds, and is suitable for outdoor activities, therefore, this may be the reason of choice for many modern travelers in the current national and international situation. In that way, rural tourism is established as a trend, due to the fact that people now seek to avoid crowds as much as possible 35]. Rural tourism responds to people's demands and contributes to the new trends established by tourism, partly due to the COVID 19 pandemic that consolidated tourism in open spaces and became a form of recreation for people seeking originality and to be away from the crowds [36,37].
Community-based tourism (CBT) is generally associated with alternative tourism, characterized by including elements aimed at promoting the preservation of the natural environment that is appreciated through sociocultural demonstrations of the communities [38]. Since then, rural tourism and community-based tourism have been the subject of academic studies from various perspectives, including socioeconomic [39]. Well, rural tourism is recognized as an activity that reconciles social equity, the preservation of the natural heritage; without putting at risk the heritage of future generations [40],
Taking into account, community-based tourism experiences have turned rural tourism into a viable and successful development strategy for communities. Participation in community-based rural tourism opens communities to the intimate-living, to the market and state regulations; in a communitarian way. Furthermore, it is based on a social and anthropological perspective, taking the community beyond the territorial aspects, defining it as the geographic space, including its inhabitants, their own characteristics, the relationships and manifestations generated among its inhabitants [41].
Regarding governance, it has been concluded that it has not improved democratic practices or open decision making, however, the economic dimensions of sustainability are subordinated to political-administrative management in the underlying institutional power structures already in place [42]. Rural community-based tourism is a concept that has been building and is pointing in other directions, not only academically speaking, but also entrepreneurially [43].
Generally, community-based tourism is interpreted as a proposal for sustainability of local management in rural environments. On the other hand, rural tourism is presented as an opportunity for communities and farmers see an option to diversify their economic activities [44]. From the academic field, rural tourism is established as a way of knowing the reality, not only in tourism research, but also in economic and social studies [45].
Community-based tourism entrepreneurship faces several challenges with respect to the exercise of governance, as it is important to stabilize community power relations in order to improve governance spaces [46]. There are four key points for the effectiveness of local tourism governance, giving it an inclusive, responsive and participatory approach in addressing problems [47,48].
Likewise, there have been tourist destinations that are recognized as successful in applying governance; however, it has been shown that in many of these cases there is a failure to comply with certain principles that ensure an optimal exercise of governance [49]. Therefore, it would only be a case of a manifestation of intention, without having led to real facts [50].
Public goods can be maintained even if there are unequal contributions because in the face of threats the collective response is strong. Subsequently, the degrowth of rural community-based tourism is a view of different approaches in the face of excessive tourism, tourism pressure and gentrification, it is a social battle where the discourse on the degrowth of tourism has helped new subjects to unite and organize themselves in society [51].
Therefore, the planning of proximity tourism is considered a major challenge today. It is important to address the peri-urban areas of medium and large cities, intermediate spaces of the contemporary urban model that have so far been considered as tourist geographies [52].
2. Methodology
This article was structured from a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach [53] as a way to understand the reality and relationships arising in relation to the object of study from the phenomenological paradigm. The method that guided the research was the case study, since it allowed the researchers to approach reality in order to record, analyze and reflect on the complex relationships of people involved in the phenomenon studied, allowing a socio-anthropological analysis based on the following units of analysis: a) rural community tourism and b) territorial appropriation.
The research analyzes rural community-based tourism from a local perspective, which made it possible to understand the interaction between tourism and economy, delimiting the object of study to a specific geographic context, from which social and productive relationships were recognized. The main purpose of this study was to carry out an in-depth analysis of the community tourism initiative called "Sibateando" which, in geographical terms, is located in the municipality of Sibaté Cundinamarca, as shown in Fig. 1.
This research was carried out during the first semester of the year 2022, in two phases, which were distinct but complementary moments in the process of collecting, systematizing and analyzing the information. The first moment made possible an approach to the territory and the study phenomenon, based on participant observation, in which approaches were established allowing the familiarization with the informants for the subsequent collection of information. In the second moment, semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to identify the initiatives of solidarity economy and appropriation of tourism by the community. For this purpose, quantitative aspects were examined by adapting the instruments proposed by [54,55]. In the development of this research, the following factors are described quantitatively: community interest, tourism potential, community organization and solidarity economy. For the quantitative diagnosis, three compliance factors were proposed: 0 indicates not compliance, 1 indicates partially compliance, and 2 indicates compliance. The analysis process was supported by the grounded theory of data from [56].
3. Results
As a starting point, it is necessary to clarify that four determining factors were evaluated to measure the contributions made by tourism to rural development: 1) community interest in the project, 2) tourism potential, 3) community organization and 4) economic impact. Four categories of analysis with three quantitative indicators of compliance were proposed for evaluation: 0 indicates no compliance, 1 indicates partial compliance, and 2 indicates compliance.
Regarding the first factor that measures the community's interest in the project (see Table 1), the first category obtained a value of 2 in the compliance factor. This is evidence of the first category shows that there is compliance with the "Sibateando" tourism initiative as a result of community empowerment and cohesion. The farmer-based organization that took place there around the possibility of tourism development that would allow the enhancement of their natural and cultural assets, shows that collective goals managed efficiently lead to tourism initiatives that contribute to local development. However, the second category of analysis obtained a value of 2 in the compliance factor; this shows that the community is fully aware that there are strengths and weaknesses in the management of social capital. The case shows how the strengths were enhanced around the involvement of the community in the initiative and how the weaknesses were managed from an action plan in the short term, in order to integrate the individuals who at the beginning of the project were resistant and skeptical towards tourism as an alternative development strategy for the rural community of Sibaté.
Any community-based social initiative that manages to materialize productive projects around tourism will be the product of resilience and the desire to overcome social problems because, as mentioned by [57], the appropriation of the territory implies developing capacities that allow facing changes in favor of the dynamization of rural economies.
The third category obtained a value of 2 for the compliance factor showing that showed that a positive and enthusiastic attitude was created on the part of the stakeholders from the gestation phase to the execution of the productive tourism initiative. This demonstrates the collective commitment from an adequate management of social capital by the coordinators of the "Sibateando" project. However, in the fourth category a value of 1 was obtained for the compliance factor, it can be observed that, although the community was channeled towards the initiative by obtaining the support of its inhabitants, some of them remained on the sidelines in the development phase, not necessarily apathetic to the initiative, since the obligations of agricultural work did not allow the times to coincide with the activities developed. Finally, in the fifth category of analysis, a value of 1 was obtained for the compliance factor. They were incredulous and perhaps fearful of starting an enterprise with which they were not familiar, remaining in familiar terrain.
The peasant community that conceived Sibateando demonstrated a constant and permanent interest in materializing an initiative that would allow the capitalization of nature and culture as assets for the use and conservation of their endogenous resources, which [57] they call the valuation of rural space as a result of the decline of agricultural activities in the current unequal market economy, which opens possibilities for tourism as an alternative productive activity in the new Colombian rurality.
Table 1 Community interest in the project.
| 1. Community interest in the project | ||
|---|---|---|
| N° | Category of analysis | Quantitative indicator |
| 1 | Community-based tourism initiative | 2 |
| 2 | Ability to manage strengths and weaknesses to develop projects | 2 |
| 3 | The community shows a positive attitude towards tourism development | 2 |
| 4 | The community participates in the development of the tourism project | 1 |
| 5 | Willingness to open up to new productive activities | 1 |
| Total | 80% | |
Source: Own Elaboration
The second factor evaluated the tourism potential of the "Sibateando" initiative (see Table 2). In the first category, obtained a value of 2 in the compliance factor, therefore, a value of 2 it can be seen that the rural community recognizes the existence of natural resources that are of interest for the development of tourism, which constitute mobilizing elements for the tourist flows that visit the territory on weekends. It is a bet on nature tourism in which the natural heritage was activated as a resource that strategically demands little intervention beyond the actions for a responsible and sustained use. Recognizing the existence and importance of its natural resources was a fundamental step to build a leisure, entertainment, recreation and tourism offer capable of consolidating an offer attractive enough to attract tourists from the city of Bogotá. The "Sibateando" initiative has allowed farmers to achieve a material and symbolic territorial appropriation, since, as mentioned by [58], this appropriation allows access, use and control of natural resources, motivating responsible consumption to the extent that sustainable tourism strategies generate consciousness in tourists based on their perceptions and representations of nature.
The second category obtained a value of 2 in the compliance factor, placing it at highlights the existence of a rural cultural identity which is constituted from a series of cultural manifestations associated with the territory which have been put in value for tourism. Thus, "Sibatenado" bets on the recreation of the local cultural heritage so that tourism can be the means to disseminate, protect and safeguard the local cultural morphologies that remain fragile and under constant threat; thus, folklore, gastronomy, customs, fairs and festivals, handicrafts and knowledge associated with agricultural production among other manifestations have been articulated to the tourist offer. For [25] the cultural heritage associated with tourism generates an identity-context relationship which in essence should have a pedagogical sense since tourism should be an instrument for cultural education.
The third category obtained a value of 2 in the compliance factor, allowing for allows us to understand the importance of infrastructure for the development of the "Sibateando" project, since the provision of these goods and services was a conditioning factor for the success of the tourism initiative. It is evident that being close to the city of Bogota allows for levels of development and infrastructure that have conditioned its social development, without overlooking the fact that there are still limitations. Authors such as [55] mention that the facilities and infrastructure enabled for tourism must be a window to the natural world and an instrument for social and environmental education, always bearing in mind that the adequacy of infrastructure in fragile natural environments will lead to irreversible consequences.
The fourth category obtained a value of 2 in the compliance factor, evidencing that showed that the tourism initiative strengthened the utilization of natural resources and generated a new sense of appreciation towards the rural space of the municipality of Sibaté. The "Sibateando" project conceives a new multifunctional rurality managed by the farmers themselves, maintaining their production methods active, but with a prospective vision of the new possibilities offered by tourism. There is evidence of a new impulse to rural development that strengthens the peasant identity and at the same time slows down the intentions of migration to the capital city as the conditions and quality of life are on the rise. This coincides with what is mentioned in [58], where regional governments should implement community-based rural tourism so that communities empower themselves and horizontally manage their natural and cultural resources to incorporate them into an open, participatory and democratic production model that includes alternative activities to agriculture as a means of overcoming poverty.
The third factor evaluated measures the level of community organization in the "Sibateando" tourism initiative (see Table 3). In the first category, a value of 2 was obtained for the compliance factor, it was observed that the success of this project was determined by a community-based organization that from the beginning was able to channel the possibilities of economic and social development of the project's environment into a common objective. The leadership emerged from the community itself and from a programmatic proposal initially accompanied by the academy, managed to define a concerted work plan to materialize the community tourism initiative. It is worth mentioning that the peasant organization saw tourism as an economic possibility in principle, but also as a possibility to conserve their nature and culture, showing a strong identity and territorial roots. For [59] to think of a model of social sustainability based on the participation and involvement of the farmers is a genuine process of empowerment and governance that should lead to overcoming poverty.
Table 2 Tourist Potential.
| 2. Tourist Potential | ||
|---|---|---|
| N° | Analysis Cathegories | Quantitative Indicador |
| 1 | They Recognize the existence of natural resources of interest to tourists | 2 |
| 2 | The project vindicates local cultural heritage | 2 |
| 3 | There is an infrastructure that facilitates the development of the project | 2 |
| 4 | The rural environment is strengthened through tourism | 2 |
| Total | 100 % | |
Source: Own Ealaboration.
Regarding the second category, a value of 2 was obtained for the compliance factor, thus, community empowerment led to the construction of a common agenda as a result of debate and discussion, a work plan that outlined the objectives, goals and actions in relation to community-based tourism development that would enhance the value of local natural and cultural resources. It should be noted that the organization and empowerment of the farmers was a structural component in defining the work plan for the development of the tourism project. This is not only a set of guidelines measured in the short, medium and long term, but it is also the hope for a social and economic change in a structure that maintains the inequalities of a peasant development model that has not allowed progress and overcoming poverty in Colombia. Authors such as [59] agree that the materialization of work plans in tourism initiatives are new ways of thinking that can trigger gradual changes in traditional economic models.
In the third category, a value of 2 was obtained for the compliance factor, showing that it is evident that the education and training processes were fundamental in the consolidation of the tourism initiative. The willingness to learn for a paradigm shift in the traditional way of conceiving things was a turning point in the realization of the tourism initiative. The accompaniment of the academy in territorial planning and management processes, tourism product design, route design, tourism culture, tourism technologies, customer service, among others, contributed to strengthening the peasant-based entrepreneurship. In any case, peasant participation led to empowerment and the gestation of leaderships that strengthened the learning processes for tourism.
The fourth category obtained a value of 2 for the compliance factor. This revealed the level of involvement and empowerment of the rural community in the "Sibateando" tourism project. This experience demonstrated that rural tourism has the great capacity to promote the integration, participation and cohesion of local actors in initiatives that are committed to improving living conditions by making nature and their rural culture the fundamental asset for progress. Rural community-based tourism contributes significantly to the achievement of collective goals and ideals as mechanisms for the defense of the territory, achieving sustainability and ethical behavior through responsible and proximity tourism that is consistent with the principles of sustainable development and in harmony with the 2030 agenda.
Table 3 Community-Based Organization.
| 3. Community-Based Organization | ||
|---|---|---|
| N° | Analysis Cathegories | Quantitative Indicator |
| 1 | Community-based organizations are identified | 2 |
| 2 | There are agreements and a defined work plan associated with tourism development | 2 |
| 3 | People attend training and qualification processes | 2 |
| 4 | The community is empowered and motivated by the tourism initiative | 2 |
| Total | 100% | |
Source: Own Elaboration
The fourth factor evaluated is the economic impact generated by the rural community tourism initiative "Sibateando" (see Table 4). In the first category of analysis, obtained a value of 2 for the compliance factor. There the economic benefits that the project has generated for the community were measured, understanding that the purpose and objective of its creation is to improve the quality of life of the farmers by generating economic resources parallel to agricultural and livestock activities. In this sense, it is evident that tourism has boosted traditional economic activities by adding value to the use of resources and local culture, generating employment opportunities mainly for young people and family mothers who have increased their income since the start-up of "Sibateando". According to the same farmers, tourism has made possible the versatility and flexibility to adapt traditional work to the purposes of tourism, in any case, a strategic link between the territory and tourism that derives in economic resources. For [50] tourism and territory complement each other by valuing their potentialities in order to turn them into an innovative business with the objective of achieving a better quality of life through the equitable redistribution of income.
The second category obtained a value of 2 in the compliance factor, allowing for allowed to understand how the implementation of tourism in the rural territory has generated multiple activities that are transversal to tourism practices. "Sibateando" as a rural tourist space has been transformed into a space of consumption based on new products and services derived from the natural and rural landscape. The rural tourism initiative is inserted in the so-called new rurality that expands the dimensions of agriculture where tourism services have a determining role in generating urban-rural linkages as axes of development and where rural families have the possibility of undertaking productive initiatives derived from their daily productive activities. This coincides with what [60] mentions insofar as the peasant territory and tourism promote local employment, generate opportunities for young people and women, generate peasant identity, revalue heritage and foster associativity and commercialization, all of which have a substantial impact on the quality of life in the peasant territory of the municipality of Sibaté.
The third category obtained a value of 2 for the compliance factor. There it evaluated whether the initiative contributed to the development of the solidarity economy based on tourism, understanding that the latter is one of the main drivers of the national economy and on which all expectations for growth in the coming years are placed. The "Sibateando" initiative has succeeded in generating collective empowerment in both individuals and families, resulting in productive ventures that are transversal to tourism, from there it became evident how social organization, associativity, cooperativism and solidarity economy were strengthened; all this with the objective of generating strategies for the defense of the territory, symbolic appropriation and conservation of culture and local identity. "Sibateando" is today a model of solidarity economy because it has enabled entrepreneurship oriented to human welfare, seeking to satisfy the most immediate needs of its community.
Table 4 Ecomonic Impact.
| N° | Analysis Cathegories | Quantitative Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The project generates economic benefits for the community | 2 |
| 2 | Tourism generates multiple activities in the peasant territory. | 2 |
| 3 | Development of the solidarity economy | 2 |
| 4 | Fair trade development | 1 |
| Total | 82% | |
Source: Own Elaboration
The fourth category scored a value of 1 on the compliance factor addressing addresses fair trade in relation to tourism development, which from its quantitative indicator shows that it is partially fulfilled, as it does not manage to integrate women entirely in productive initiatives and at the same time it has been very difficult for them to access financing mechanisms to strengthen family entrepreneurships. Likewise, they express difficulty in establishing commercial relationships with suppliers of products and services necessary for tourism operations. The tourism initiative faces inequitable rules governing traditional markets, which may hinder the growth and consolidation of the project. For fair trade is a concern for the social welfare of small and medium-sized producers of goods and services; this type of trade should seek solidarity, mutual respect and trust as a way of guaranteeing equity in income and the mutual benefit of trade.
Finally, and in view of the consolidation of the four factors analyzed (see Table 5), it can be established that the rural community tourism initiative "Sibateando" is a successful initiative that was based on the immediate assets of the rural community, therefore, it enhanced its natural resources, its cultural landscape and the rural identity, to make tourism a productive alternative in the new rurality of the municipality of Sibaté. Tourism managed to activate the multifunctionality of the rural territory, overcoming the traditional productive vision, since today this productive project is proof of the heterogeneity of the countryside and its possibilities of revaluation of the territory based on new productive bets. Tourism has been constituted as a contemporary social phenomenon that has been generating transformations from multiple perspectives, it is evident that, from the perspective of this work, it materialized as a productive alternative capable of integrating individuals who previously did not have a relevant role in the traditional labor practice.
The first factor showed that the peasant community had an 80% interest in the development of the project, making the transition to a new rurality favoring community-based organization in order to diversify their modes of production. Tourism was seen as a means of guaranteeing the future of rural development as well as a strategy for the use and conservation of their natural and cultural assets that would allow them to strengthen their rural identity. The truth is that, in the face of the problems of poor rural communities, entrepreneurial initiatives such as "Sibateando" materialize actions that generate significant transformations for the good of the community.
Tabla 5 Consolidation of Factors.
| 5. Consolidation of Factors | ||
|---|---|---|
| N° | Factors | Percentages |
| 1 | Community interest in the project | 80% |
| 2 | Tourist Potential | 00% |
| 3 | Community-Based Organization | 100% |
| 4 | Economic Impact | 82% |
Source: Own Elaboration
The second factor showed that the rural community recognizes 100% of their tourism potential. They are aware that their endogenous rural capital can be a means by which they can value their patrimonial assets such as nature and culture, in such a way that from a correctly structured tourism product they can receive the necessary economic resources for sustainable conservation and in the same way, make their patrimonial assets a strategy for environmental education and awareness that will have an impact on a greater consciousness of environmental care.
The third factor showed that community organization is a success factor in the tourism initiative by obtaining 100% in the quantitative indicator of its categories of analysis. From this perspective, the "Sibateando" tourism territory was configured as a laboratory in which the needs of the community converged around overcoming problems and conserving its natural and cultural resources. This tourism initiative as a social enterprise succeeded in integrating the community in a common objective to face the changes. The empowerment of the social base was a determining factor in the transformation of the peasant territory into a tourist territory with the purpose of improving the quality of life of the inhabitants and transforming the peasant social structure.
The fourth factor measured the economic impact of the initiative with a percentage of 82%, showing opportunities for improvement in terms of fair trade. The economic benefits of tourism are tangible to the extent that the destination has been positioning itself in the local tourism market, especially in schools and universities that find in this space an opportunity to recognize natural and cultural values through environmental education. The initiative has been consolidated as a model of solidarity economy, integrating the peasant production chain and diversifying it into different productive activities. In this way, the economic impact has been consolidated through the development of multiple activities associated with tourism, which have strengthened the local value chain.
4. Conclusions
The solidarity economy aspects are optimal and there is evidence of social investment where part of the economic resources incorporate the community. This shows that there is a great participation of other parallel activities, which are developed in the territory. It is important to emphasize that the economic vision of the place takes into account the precepts of sustainability. As an opportunity for improvement in strengthening the local tourism value chain to foster relationships with local tourism operators in order to strengthen the region's economy.
Rural community-based tourism is not only an economic alternative for local management, but also for the economy of regions that seek to preserve their identity. It is important to generate strategies that promote locally based tourism development. This requires greater state, economic and academic support to strengthen these enterprises, so that they can contribute significantly to the development and consolidation of tourism in the region and the country.
This research contributes to the construction of knowledge in rural community-based tourism; however, it should be taken into account that the elements proposed in this research are limited since they are analyzed in a specific context as it is a case study. However, a methodology is proposed to measure and analyze the success factors in rural community-based tourism initiatives, in order to recognize their interest, potential and how the community appropriates the economy and the territory in a sustainable way.
Tourism in rural multifunctionality is an activity that becomes a complement or part of a diversification of the local economy. This initiative demonstrates the possibilities of tourism in a new rurality where agriculture is still important but not the only possible activity, as it breaks the dichotomy between urban and rural areas and gives more possibilities for productive integration to vulnerable sectors within the same community, such as women, young people and the elderly.
It is evident that the communities are the architects of their own destiny, therefore, they must be able to create their own development schemes and models that bet on the appropriation of the territory, from models of solidarity economy based on tourism. In this sense, it is necessary to open lines of research that delve into the daily dynamics of the territories, so that, from the generation of new knowledge, problematic situations can be solved in relation to community tourism in Sibaté.
Similarly, it is recommended that an economic model for social organizations be established as a guideline that will allow communities to have a guide for solidarity-based economic development. Therefore, the relationship between the concepts of rural community-based tourism and social economy should be explored in greater depth, since there is little literature on the relationship between these two elements in academia.
