Economía circular como estrategia para el desarrollo sostenible en el sector hotelero del cantón Pedernales.

Abstract

The circular economy presents itself as a viable alternative to mitigate the impacts that include excessive waste generation and high consumption of natural resources. The Pedernales canton is a growing tourist destination that faces significant challenges related to energy consumption, water usage, and waste production. In this sense, the general objective of this research was to determine the viability of the Circular Economy as a strategy for the sustainable development of the hotel sector in the Pedernales canton. The methodology implemented by the research was a mixed approach, with a type of descriptive. Deductive, and inductive methods were used, allowing for the examination of the provided information to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the studied phenomenon. The sample consisted of 11 hotels in Pedernales and Cojimíes that are registered with the Ministry of Tourism, which were evaluated using survey and interview techniques. The results indicated that one of the challenges they faced was the lack of knowledge and training for the staff. In conclusion, the circular economy not only improves resource utilization but can also produce economic and social advantages, such as job creation and innovation in business models.