Recognition and Use of Natural Resources and Tourist Attractions for the Development of Sustainable Tourism in the Municipality of Zaragoza, Antioquia

Abstract

This paper aims to publicize the results of a tourism research that was carried out through the application of a descriptive methodology with a qualitative approach, which consisted of recognizing the natural resources and different tourist attractions that exist in the Municipality of Zaragoza, Antioquia through the referencing and analysis of the relevance of a tourist inventory proposed by the Vice Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia. Other aspects that this research sought to work on was to promote and strengthen community tourism, empowering communities by reinterpreting their natural, cultural and heritage wealth in an alternative of social transformation for development through sustainable tourism. Work was done on establishing a propositional, articulating and planned tourist offer that allows to boost this activity in the territory of Zaragoza, tending to generate a diversification of the local economy through the generation of employment as an alternative for progress in the municipality. In the research, the peasant, Afro- descendant and indigenous communities that inhabit the territory approached the citizen awareness, regarding the care of their environmental and cultural heritage and to keep alive that cultural wealth that characterizes the subregion, especially the municipality of Zaragoza. Through this research exercise, it is intended to expose an inclusive local tourism proposal, which from its projection grants respect for the sociocultural authenticity of the communities, preserves their cultural and architectural assets, values their traditions contributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance; and propose actions aimed at meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.