Last February 10th and 11th, the PREIT-Tour research group participated in the First Congress of Tourism and Hospitality, held in the city of Salinas-Ecuador. The main objective of this event was to promote the professionalization of university students and stimulate their knowledge about current issues in the tourism sector. The event became a meeting point between the University, the Industry and the State; fostering a constructive and enriching dialogue for the development of the tourism industry. The congress was organized by different Higher Education Institutions and was supported by the Secretaría de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SENESCYT). During the event, different presentations, conferences and discussion panels were held, in which professionals were able to inform attendees of the latest developments and trends in the tourism industry.
In this context, Karina Farfán, PhD presented the progress of the project "Mental well-being based on nature tourism experiences in scholarship students of the University of Cuenca and Azuay", which aimed to disseminate the potential of nature tourism in reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression in people suffering from these disorders. The presentation generated a wide debate on the need and urgency of paying attention to the mental health problems people suffer from. It became evident that tourism and natural resources can contribute to the reduction of these problems. However, it is necessary to generate a model of associativity between the different stakeholders (public, private and community sectors) to consolidate a tourism product of these characteristics.
In summary, the congress was very well received by the university community and attendees in general, as it promoted the professionalization of university students and fostered discussion and dialogue on the challenges and opportunities of tourism in Ecuador. From the Research Department of the Faculty of Hospitality Sciences and the PREIT-Tour research group, we congratulate the researcher Karina Farfan for this presentation and wish her success in her future research.
Photo credits: PREIT-tour and University of Cuenca
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