A Nature Tourism Route Through GIS to Improve the Visibility of the Natural Resources of the Altar Volcano, Sangay National Park, Ecuador

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Article A Nature Tourism Route through GIS to Improve the Visibility of the Natural Resources of the Altar Volcano, Sangay National Park, Ecuador

Alex Vinicio Gavilanes Montoya 1 , José Fernando Esparza Parra 1, Carlos Renato Chávez Velásquez 1 , Paúl Eduardo Tito Guanuche 2,3, Grace Maribel Parra Vintimilla 4, Carlos Mestanza-Ramón 5,6,* and Danny Daniel Castillo Vizuete 1,*

1 Faculty of Natural Resources, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (ESPOCH), 1 Panamericana Sur km 1 2 , Riobamba EC-060155, Ecuador; [email protected] (A.V.G.M.); [email protected] (J.F.E.P.); [email protected] (C.R.C.V.) 2 Ministerio de Ambiente, Agua y Transición Ecológica del Ecuador, Chile 10-51 y Darquea, Riobamba EC-060155, Ecuador; [email protected]


3 Investigador Asociado—Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad del Ecuador, Pje. Rumipamba N. 341 y Av. de
 los Shyris (Parque La Carolina), Quito EC-170150, Ecuador 4 Citation: Gavilanes Montoya, A.V.; Red Iberoamericana de Investigadores en Turismo y Territorio, Avenida 11 de noviembre y Canónigo Ramos, Esparza Parra, J.F.; Chávez Velásquez, Riobamba EC-060155, Ecuador; [email protected] 5 Departamento Economía Financiera y Dirección de Operaciones, Universidad de Sevilla, 41018 Sevilla, Spain C.R.; Tito Guanuche, P.E.; Parra 6 Instituto Superior Tecnológico Universitario Oriente, La Joya de los Sachas EC-220101, Ecuador Vintimilla, G.M.; Mestanza-Ramón, * Correspondence: [email protected] (C.M.-R.); [email protected] (D.D.C.V.); C.; Castillo Vizuete, D.D. A Nature Tel.: +593-968277770 (C.M.-R.); +593-987712497 (D.D.C.V.) Tourism Route through GIS to Improve the Visibility of the Natural Abstract: Tourism in natural areas attracts people seeking contact with pristine ecosystems as Resources of the Altar Volcano, opposed to a polluted urban habitat and a stressful pace of life. An adequate tourist route and Sangay National Park, Ecuador. Land itinerary guarantees a high level of tourist satisfaction. The objective of this study was to focus on the 2021, 10, 884. design of a tourist route and itinerary in the Altar Volcano, Sangay National Park, central Ecuador, https://doi.org/10.3390/ land10080884 by integrating tourist attractions and facilities. Within the methodological process, the main tourist attractions of the area were identified and georeferenced; then, a thematic map was elaborated using ® Academic Editors: María de la ArcGIS 10.5 software. Distances were determined by considering the transportation alternatives in Cruz del Río-Rama, relation to the base camps. Finally, the itinerary was structured by considering the possible tourist José Álvarez-García, activities of each place or attraction. As a result, a tourist route was obtained that included 19 Amador Durán-Sánchez and attractions and an itinerary that interacts with various activities in the study area. This research will Pedro Cuesta-Valiño strengthen tourism activities in the Altar Volcano, allowing for an increase in the number of visitors and the development of sustainable tourism thanks to proper planning in the use of a new tourist Received: 7 August 2021 route. Accepted: 20 August 2021 Published: 23 August 2021 Keywords: Sangay National Park; nature tourism; GIS design; sustainable development

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil- 1. Introduction iations. Tourism is currently one of the most important economic and cultural activities that a country or region can count on. Tourism activities may be implemented in many variants, one of them and one of the fastest growing in recent years being nature-based tourism. There is no doubt that tourism has contributed to the economic development Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. through the generation of jobs, income, and improvement of countries’ visibility [1,2]. This article is an open access article However, this situation has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused distributed under the terms and huge losses in this sector; at the global level, it was estimated that there was a loss of 300 conditions of the Creative Commons to 450 billion dollars in inbound tourism in 2020 [3]. The United Nations World Tourism Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// Organization (UNWTO) indicated that the arrival of foreign tourists recorded a historic creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ decline by sanitary crisis; the number of international tourists in May 2020 was reduced by 4.0/). 98% compared to 2019 [4]. The prospects for a tourism upturn in 2021 have not became a

Land 2021, 10, 884. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10080884 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/land Land 2021, 10, 884 2 of 20

reality due to the increase in the number of contagions of COVID-19 in many countries; despite this trend, it has been suggested that tourism might be reactivated in the middle of 2021 or in 2022, as well as that the principal tourism activities might take place in nature [5]. In this context, for the development of tourist activity, biosecurity aspects for tourists must also be considered [6]. Nature-based tourism is mainly characterized by visits to natural landscapes, and its main associated activity is the observation of the surroundings [7,8]. This type of tourism involves the environment, its conservation, and culture, as well as economic and social aspects that generate benefits for locals [9]. Ecuador has an advantage over other competitors in this segment of tourism, being considered one of the 17 countries with the greatest biodiversity or biological wealth on the planet. The country holds important biomes and ecosystems such as dry and humid tropical forests, savannas, mountain forests, highlands, and mangroves. These are important aspects for tourists when choosing a nature destination, since they will allow them to have a greater probability of observing the fauna and flora representative of their ecosystems [10]. As such, in Ecuador, the main activities of interest for foreign tourists are cultural tourism (58.9%), nature-based tourism (20.8%), sun and beach tourism (15.9%), adventure tourism (3.2%), and other activities (1.2%) [11]. Currently, domestic tourism has become important as it has allowed to boost the economy; in this context, a study carried out on the characteristics of the world’s new situation suggested that destinations such as mountains (12.01%), protected areas (PA) (9.27%), rural (5.07%), or urban (6.87%) places are preferred by tourists and visitors [12]. The satisfaction of tourists can be defined like a reaction or decision that describes the tourist’s thoughts and emotions regarding an experience in a tourist place [13], and it is directly related to the quality of tourism experiences [13–15] and the destination attributes [14]. In addition, the dimensions linked to the satisfaction level are the (i) desti- nation (which is characterized by security, access, information, and signage), (ii) services (accommodation, transport, tour operators, and others), and (iii) infrastructure [16]. There- fore, it is important to hold a tourist product that contributes to the enjoyment of the tourist. It includes aspects of tourist offer such as tourist attractions, and services provided by the tourist infrastructure for other non-tourist goods. Thus, at a basic level, it is formed by facil- ities (accommodation, food, entertainment, travel agencies or operators) and accessibility (transport and routes), while the highest level or a complete experience is achieved thanks to tourist attractions [17]. In short, tourist satisfaction is important because it influences the choice of destination, the consumption of tourist goods and services, and the intention to re- turn to the site. Thus, a tourist who has had excellent experience in recreational activities at a site will recommend that destination to more travelers, and studies have shown that sites are often visited by new tourists mainly on the recommendation of satisfied visitors [18]. A proper planning of tourist activity should guarantee the success of a destination. Consequently, an integrated design of the tourist product, which has to include a mar- keting plan, is required to achieve a competitive destination [19]. An integrated design of a tourist product is usually done in the following stages: (1) characterization of the demand, (2) design of the product that includes the (i) identification of tourist attractions or resources, (ii) generation of ideas, selection of activities, and conceptualization of the product, (iii) tourist product and integration of the offer, and (iv) evaluation by feasibility studies [20], and (3) positioning [21]. Tourism planning is fundamental to the development of recreational and adventure activities because it guarantees the correct integration of tourism into the economy, society, culture, and environment. It is important to empha- size that adequate management of tourism demand is indispensable for local economic dynamization and should be in line with current global trends [22]. The appearance of new products based on tourist routes or itineraries involves the application of strategies, such as specialization, diversification, complementation, and oth- ers [23], whose line of action must be based on tourist offer and demand and on tourist preferences [23,24]. Many authors consider that a tourist route is a tourist product or desti- nation because it links a series of attractions to services [25–28]. For instance, Hernández Land 2021, 10, 884 3 of 20

(2011) [29] indicated that “like the guides that direct the visit in the cities, the routes aim to conduct the activities highlighting what is worth knowing about the tourist territory.” Methodologies to design a tourist route are variable. In this context, the Ministry of Tourism from Ecuador [27] proposed the following steps to create a tourist route: (1) identification and classification of tourist attractions, (2) georeferencing and location of tourist places (infrastructure or attractions), (3) tourist distribution model, (4) tourist product (itinerary), (5) innovation (generation of complementary activities), and (6) commercialization and promotion. A tourist itinerary is the graphic expression of the direction to follow within a tourist route or product [27], and it contains detailed information about daily move- ments, date, transportation modality [30], tourist attractions, duration (time), and activities, including services [27–31]. The province of Chimborazo and its protected areas are characterized by their richness in terms of natural resources; their ecosystem components make up mountain landscapes with a high potential for nature-based tourism [32,33]. Historically, one of the most popular mountain sites for tourism in the province and the country has been the Chimborazo Volcano [34]. However, this trend in the province is changing [35], so that in recent years, increasingly popular are the trips to the Altar Volcano (AV), which is located in the Sangay National Park (SNP) and which became famous for its resources such as the lakes, peaks, and the long trekking to climb it. Considering this new trend of mountain nature tourism and an increasing influx of tourists, current problems have been evidenced such as the current time required to cover the route from the start to the top of the mountain, its difficulty, restriction of access to the mountain to only highly trained hikers and climbers, and last but not least, the absence of many natural features in the existing route, which could be a factor that decreases the interest of nature-based tourists [36]. Thus, the objective of this study focused on designing a new nature tourism route in the Altar Volcano in the SNP that would serve as a sustainable management tool for managers and authorities in the province of Chimborazo, Ecuador. A mixed exploratory and descriptive methodology was used. The field work, together with the bibliographic review, made it possible to inventory the sites of interest and the available activities. Finally, the information was processed with the support of ArcGIS 10.5® software, allowing the construction and description of a new nature tourism route and its itinerary.

2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Study Area The Altar Volcano has an altitude of 5319 m.a.s.l., which makes it the fifth highest mountain in Ecuador. It is located between the provinces of Morona Santiago and Chimb- orazo in the south-central eastern Andean region of Ecuador (Figure1), in the Sangay National Park, which is one of the 62 protected areas of the country. The main access to the Altar Volcano is through the rural parish of Quimiag, which is located in the Riobamba Can- ton. The volcano is characterized by its inactivity, being covered by glaciers, and exhibiting several peaks as a result of its past activities. Its name—Altar—comes from its resemblance of the altar of a church; in addition, its summits have very special ecclesiastical names, such as “Bishop”. It is considered one of the most representative mountains in the country, thanks to its scenic beauty. The presence of lakes between its glaciers and peaks makes this volcano a resource with high tourist potential, thanks to its unique panoramic views. Land 2021, 10, 884 4 of 20 Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4 of 19

Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4 of 19

Figure 1. Map of the study area. (A) Altar Volcano location; (B) location in relation to Altar Volcano in South America, Figure 1. A B Ecuador,Map Chimborazo of the study Province, area. ( and) Altar Riobamba Volcano Canton. location; ( ) location in relation to Altar Volcano in South America, Ecuador,Figure 1. Chimborazo Map of the study Province, area. and(A) Altar Riobamba Volcano Canton. location; (B) location in relation to Altar Volcano in South America, Ecuador, Chimborazo Province,2.2. and Methodology Riobamba Canton. The methodology used in this study was explorative, analytical, and descriptive (Fig- 2.2.2.2. Methodology Methodology ure 2). For a better understanding, the methodological process, which responds to the ob- jectivesTheThe methodology methodologyset out in this used study, used in this has in studythis been was study sectio explned. wasorative, In explorative, the analytical, first section, and analytical, descriptive through and the (Fig- use descriptive of ure(Figure literature2). For2). a Forbetter review a betterunderstanding, and field understanding, exploration, the methodol a the mappi methodologicalogicalng (georeferencing process, which process, respondsand whichdescription) to respondsthe ob- of the to the jectivesobjectivesmain set points out set ofin out touristthis in study, this interest study, has in been the has studysectio been areaned. sectioned. wasIn the carried first In out.section, the Secondly, first through section, by theusing through use ArcGIS of the use literatureof literature10.5 ® reviewand reviewGoogle and field andEarth exploration, field Pro, exploration,the information a mappi ang mapping (georeferencingwas analyzed (georeferencing to and create description) the androute description)of and the the of maintheitinerary, main points points of considering tourist of interest tourist the tourist in interest the studyattractions, in area the studywas their carried distances, area out. was Secondly,potential carried activities, out.by using Secondly, ArcGIS and travel by using ® 10.5ArcGIStime. ® and 10.5 Googleand Earth Google Pro, Earth the information Pro, the information was analyzed was to analyzedcreate the toroute create and the the route and itinerary,the itinerary, considering considering the tourist the attractions, tourist attractions, their distances, their potential distances, activities, potential and travel activities, and time.travel time.

Figure 2. Methodological research process.

FigureFigure 2. 2. MethodologicalMethodological research research process. process.

2.2.1. Mapping of the Main Points of Tourist Interest The processes of mapping and describing the main points of tourist interest are de- scribed in Table1. First, a bibliographic review was carried out, which allowed to identify the main points of tourist interest and facilities in the study area. In this first process, Land 2021, 10, 884 5 of 20

scientific literature such as articles and books indexed in regional databases (Scielo and Redalyc) and high-impact databases (Scopus and Web of Science) were reviewed. Informa- tion complemented with gray literature such as reports and tourist guides, provided by governmental institutions such as the Ministry of Tourism and Decentralized Autonomous Governments. Afterwards, an initial database was designed with the tourist attractions and their geolocations marked on the route obtained through a field trip. For this purpose, the tourist attractions were georeferenced in the field using a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit (model: GPSMAP® 66i; make: GARMIN; city: Kansas; country: United States of Amer- ica) technology and mobile applications such as “C7 GPS Datos,” “All Trails,” “Maps.me,” and “UTM Geo Map,” while the rest of the points were identified and georeferenced using desktop software such as Google Earth.

Table 1. Methodological steps used to collect data for the points of interest.

Collection Technique Description Results Bibliographic review Identification of points of interest Knowledge Coordinates and information of Georeferencing Visit and tourist route in AV points of interest The information collected from Storage points of interest by different Coordinates, altitude, and photos teams was merged into a database The information was processed in Processing ArcGis 10.5 to locate the points Georeferenced points within different maps

During this phase, the guidance of experienced local people was important to suggest the most visited and accessible attractions. Finally, the collected information (coordinates) was processed in ArcGIS 10.5® software using the Universal Transverse Mercator Reference System (UTM), World Geodetic System (WGS 1984), zone 17. This information was cross- checked and validated with official tourism information provided by the local government of Riobamba [37–39].

2.2.2. Tourist Route Design Once the identification of the tourist attractions was made through bibliographic review and validated with field work, the interest points and tourist features were shortly described, coded, and located according to the province to which they belonged. For a better description and analysis, the route included two alternatives, resulting in a network of attractions interconnected by possible routes. The first alternative was proposed for trekking, while the second was planned for climbers to reach the summit of the mountain. Both alternatives were planned for a two-day itinerary. For the design of the tourist route, the input files were the layers (images) obtained from the official international satellite image download portals, which were projected to the Universal Transversal Mercator (UTM), World Geodetic System (1984), zone 17 S coordinate system, considering that these geographic features are specific for the Continental Ecuador, in central Highland Region [40–42]. The starting and finishing points of the route were identified, and for the design of the route, maps of the study area and georeferenced tourist attractions and facilities were used. To this end, georeferencing tools of ArcGIS 10.5® software and Google Earth Pro allowed to integrate the network of attractions. The distances traveled between tourist attractions were calculated based on a field trip done on 28 and 29 December 2020 with the participation of native people and of the research team of the Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (ESPOCH). From the viewpoints, reference distances were calculated in a straight line to observe specific attractions. The field calculator tool of ArcGIS 10.5® software was used for this purpose. Once the information has been reviewed, explored, and analyzed, the results are presented. The first section describes the mapping of the main sites of tourist interest in Land 2021, 10, 884 6 of 20

the Altar Volcano area of SNP. Additionally, the design of the tourist route and its itinerary were described. In this section were include some flora and fauna species which were obtained through rapid biological inventories along the route.

3. Results 3.1. Tourist Attractions on the Altar Volcano Route Nineteen points of tourist interest were identified through the field trips. The interest points in the area (Table2) are represented by tourist attractions and tourist facilities (base camps). To this end, “Vasija” (VJ), located in Riobamba city, was considered the starting point of reference in the road network toward the AV. Each tourist attraction was mapped and represented by a point and labeled with a red number as shown in Figures2 and3. The mountain lake complex “El Altar” corresponds to periglacial wetland formations, whose height varies from 3803 to 4553 m.a.s.l.

3.2. Design of Tourist Route Once the mapping and description of the main tourist sites in the study area was completed, the 19 tourist points were grouped into two alternatives (Figure3). In addition, the reference distance to the attractions in a straight line was included, with respect to the observer. For instance, from point 14, it is possible to observe tourist attractions at points 15, and 16. However, the distances indicated in a straight line are not practicable by trekking. They are only representing the distance to a point of interest that can be viewed from a given point on the route The main route including alternative 1 corresponds to the trekking route; this zone is characterized by ecosystems with abundant Andean vegetation and minimal anthropogenic impacts in terms of land use changes. Alternative 2 represents the mountain climbing alternative to the summit of the BP, which is the highest peak of the AV. Moreover, on the route it is possible to observe landscapes of mountain tourism such as the peaks and the lake system. It should be noted that alternative 2 should be covered only with organized groups and tour operators regulated in the information system which should have guides specialized in mountain adventure. Figure4 and Table3 show the distances between the different tourist attractions, which make the route (BT PG, BC, GA, VV, ML, MC, PL, CAV, and IC) by taking into consideration the possible ways of traveling or viewing between any two given points. Therefore, the distances between any two given points for which a ground transportation possibility is specified represent the real ground distances, while the distances between any two given points for which “only viewing” is specified as an alternative represent the straight-line reference distance between those points extracted from the used mapping software. These lines were considered just to see the attractions because there are no established routes. In addition, the topographic conditions of the terrain are not optimal to visit the attractions. The total distance of the general route is 45.14 km, which starts from the VJ point and ends at the MC point. The trekking route includes the general route and the first alternative, which make a total distance of 46.51 km, up to the CAV point (point 14, Figures2 and3). Finally, the planned alternative for climbers to reach the summit of AV has a distance of 47.98 km. The longest distance to travel is from VJ to BT (33.26 km), which corresponds to a travel by vehicle. For the trekking route (alternative 1), a route is made from the BT to the MC, where tourist attractions such as the following are located: (i) the Padguazo forest (PG), (ii) the gates of the Altar viewpoint (GA) from where the lakes can be observed (SL, SIL, and GL), (iii) the viewpoint of the valley (VV), and (iv) the Mandur lake, to finally reach the Mandur camp (MC). From the second route which can be used to climb to the top of the AV from the viewpoint of the valley (VV), it is possible to observe the blue lake (BL) and walk towards the Italian camp (IC) prior to the ascent to Bishop peak (BP). Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 of 20

Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 of 20 Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 of 20 Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 of 20

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Star-shaped lake, located under the Panecillo StarStar-shaped-shaped lake, lake, located located under the Panecillo 6 Starry lake * Starhill.under-shaped Water the lake, Panecillosurface: located 8.96 hill. underha. Altitude: the Panecillo 4092 SL 66 StarryStarry lake * lake * Starhill.-shaped Water lake,surface: located 8.96 underha. Altitude: the Panecillo 4092SL SL 6 Starry lake * hill.Water Water surface: surface: 8.96m.a.s.l. 8.96 ha. ha. Altitude: 4092 SL 6 Starry lake * hill. Water surface:m.a.s.l. 8.96 ha. Altitude: 4092 SL Altitude: 4092 m.a.s.l.m.a.s.l. m.a.s.l.

The first lake that is The observedfirst lake that in the is observed route. in the route. Wa- 77 SilverSilver lake * lake * The first lake that is observed in the route. Wa-SIL SIL 7 Silver lake * Theter Waterfirst surface: lake surface: that 5.25 is 5.25ha. observed Altitude: ha. in 4084the route. m.a.s.l. Wa- SIL 7 Silver lake * Theter first surface: lake that 5.25 is ha. observed Altitude: in 4084the route. m.a.s.l. Wa- SIL 7 Silver lake * terAltitude: surface: 40845.25 m.a.s.l.ha. Altitude: 4084 m.a.s.l. SIL ter surface: 5.25 ha. Altitude: 4084 m.a.s.l.

Lake fed from the blue Lakelake fed where from the blue source lake of where the source of Lakethe fed Palora from riverthe blue begins, lake where the source of 88 GreenGreen lake * lake * theLake Palora fed from river the begins, blue lakegreenish where in thecolor. source WaterGL of GL 8 Green lake * Lakethe greenishPalora fed from river in the color. begins, blue Water lakegreenish where in the color. source Water of GL 8 Green lake * the Palorasurface: river 59.26 begins, ha. Altitude: greenish 3803 in color. m.a.s.l. Water GL 8 Green lake * thesurface: Palorasurface: 59.26river 59.26 begins, ha. ha. Altitude: Altitude: greenish 3803 in color. m.a.s.l. Water GL surface: 59.26 ha. Altitude: 3803 m.a.s.l. surface:3803 59.26 m.a.s.l. ha. Altitude: 3803 m.a.s.l.

Viewpoint from where it is possible to see the Viewpoint from where it is possible to see the Valley lakes,Viewpoint the valley from, whereand the it Altaris possible Volcano. to see From the 9 Valley Viewpointlakes, the valley from ,where and the it Altaris possible Volcano. to see From the VV 9 viewpointValley lakes,here onethe valleycan select, and the the route Altar to V Mandurolcano. From and VV 9 viewpointValley lakes,here onethe valleycan select, and the the route Altar to V Mandurolcano. From and VV 9 viewpoint highhere mountains,one can select or the route to theMandur blue lake.and VV viewpoint highhere mountains,one can select or the route to theMandur blue lake.and high mountains, or the route to the blue lake. high mountains, or the route to the blue lake.

Lake formed by the thaws of the south face of Lake formed by the thaws of the south face of theLake volcano. formed It by is thepart thaws of the of upper the south basin face of the of 10 Mandur lake theLake volcano. formed It by is thepart thaws of the of upper the south basin face of the of ML 10 Mandur lake theBlanco volcano. river. It Water is part surface: of the upper 5.48 ha. basin Altitude: of the ML 10 Mandur lake theBlanco volcano. river. It Water is part surface: of the upper 5.48 ha. basin Altitude: of the ML 10 Mandur lake Blanco river. Water4397 surface: m.a.s.l. 5.48 ha. Altitude: ML Blanco river. Water4397 surface: m.a.s.l. 5.48 ha. Altitude: 4397 m.a.s.l. 4397 m.a.s.l.

Land 2021,, 10,, xx FORFOR PEERPEER REVIEWREVIEW 7 of 20

Camping site for small groups (2 to 4 people), 4 Machay cave ** MAC safety point in case of severe weather changes.

The entrance to the eastern mountain range, where the AV route starts. It is a viewpoint and 5 Gates of Altar GA itit isis consideredconsidered aa referencereference forfor thethe limitlimit ofof thethe SNP.

Star--shaped lake, located under the Panecillo 6 Starry lake ** hill. Water surface: 8.96 ha. Altitude: 4092 SL m.a.s.l.

The first lake that is observed in the route. Wa- 7 Silver lake ** SIL terter surface:surface: 5.255.25 ha.ha. Altitude:Altitude: 40844084 m.a.s.l.m.a.s.l.

Land 2021, 10, 884 8 of 20

Lake fed from the blue lake where the source of 8 Green lake * the Palora river begins, greenish in color. Water GL 8 Green lake * the PaloraTable river 2. begins,Cont. greenish in color. Water GL surface: 59.26 ha. Altitude: 3803 m.a.s.l. ◦ N Points of Interest Description Code Photography Viewpoint from where it is possible to see the lakes, Viewpointthe valley, from and where the Altar itit isis possiblepossible toto seesee thethe ValleyValley lakes,lakes,Volcano. thethe valleyvalley From,, and here the one Altar Volcano. From 9 9 VV VV viewpointviewpoint herecan one select can theselect route the toroute to Mandur and high Mandurmountains, and or high the route to the blue lake. mountains, or the route to the blue lake.

Lake formed by the thaws Lakeof theformed south by face the ofthaws the of the south face of thevolcano. volcano. It It is is part part of of the the upper basin of the 1010 MandurMandur lake lake the volcano. It is part of the upper basin of MLthe ML 10 Mandur lake Blancoupper river. basin Water of the surface: Blanco 5.48 ha. Altitude: ML Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW Blanco river. Water surface: 5.48 ha. Altitude: 8 of 20 Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW river. Water surface: 5.48 8 of 20 Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4397 m.a.s.l. 8 of 20 ha. Altitude: 4397 m.a.s.l.

It is born from the glaciers It is bornon the from south theface, glaciers a on the south face, a It is bornproduct from the of theglaciers on the south face, a It productis born from of the the accumulation glaciers on the of watersouth fromface, a Mandur productaccumulation of the accumulation of water of water from 11 MandurMandur Mandurproduct Lake. of the It isaccumulation a waterfall of of approximately water from MW 11 11 waterfallMandur * Mandurfrom Mandur Lake. It Lake.is a waterfall It is a of approximatelyMW MW 11 waterfallwaterfall * * Mandur300 m. Lake. It can It be is seena waterfall mainly of from approximately the base MW waterfall * waterfall300 m. It ofcan approximately be seen mainly from the base 300300 m. m. It can It can be beseencamp. seen mainly from the base camp. mainly from thecamp. base

camp. ALTERNATIVE 1 ALTERNATIVE 1 ALTERNATIVEALTERNATIVE 1 1

12 Mandur camp Camp to complement the route. MC 12 Mandur camp CampCamp to complement to complement the the route. MC 1212 Mandur Mandur camp camp Camp to complement the route. MC MC route.

Located at the base of the Located at the base of the Canaleta viewpoint. LocatedCanaleta at the viewpoint. base of the It isCanaleta viewpoint. 13 Painted lake ItLocated theis the highest highest at the lake base lake in ofin the thethe lake Canaletalake complex. viewpoint. Water PL 1313 PaintedPainted lake lake It is the highest lake in the lake complex. WaterPL PL 13 Painted lake It iscomplex. thesurface: highest 1.76 Water lake ha. surface: in Altitude: the lake 4553 complex. m.a.s.l. Water PL surface: 1.76 ha. Altitude: 4553 m.a.s.l. 1.76surface: ha. Altitude: 1.76 ha. Altitude: 4553 4553 m.a.s.l.

m.a.s.l.

It has the shape of a It U-shapedhas the shape opening of a U in-shaped the opening in the It hasstructure the shape of the of volcanoa U-shaped opening in the Canaleta Itstructure has the ofshape the volcanoof a U-shaped that allows opening to see in the 14 CanaletaCanaleta structurethat allows of the tovolcano see the that allows to see the CAV 14 14 viewpointCanaleta Collanesstructure Valley of the andvolcano the crater that allows of the toAltar see CAVVtheol- CAV 14 viewpointviewpoint CollanesCollanes Valley Valley and and the thecrater of the Altar Vol- CAV viewpoint Collanescano Valley where andthe ytheellow crater lake of is the located. Altar Vol- cratercano of where the Altar the Volcanoyellow lake is located. wherecano thewhere yellow the y lakeellow is lake is located.

located.

It is a plain that is located It is a plain that is located below the yellow Collanes Valley It isbelow a plain the that yellow is located lake. below the yellow 15 Collanes Valley lake.It is This a plain attraction that is locatedcan be seen below from the the yellow Cana- CV 1515 Collanes Collanes Valley* *Valley lake.This This attraction attraction can can be seenbe seen from the Cana-CV CV 15 * lake. This attractionleta canviewpoint be seen. from the Cana- CV * from the Canaletaleta viewpoint. viewpoint.leta viewpoint.

It is the main attraction of It is thethe main Releche–El attraction Altar of the Releche–El Altar It is the main attraction of the Releche–El Altar ItVolcano isVolcano the main route, route, attraction which which can of can thebe viewedReleche from–El Altar the 1616 YellowYellow lake * lake * Volcanobe viewed route, which from the can be viewed from theYL YL 16 Yellow lake * VolcanoCanaleta route, viewpoint. which Water can be surface: viewed 40.29from ha.the YL 16 Yellow lake * CanaletaCanaleta viewpoint. viewpoint. Water Water surface: 40.29 ha. YL Canaleta viewpoint.Altitude: Water4361 m.a.s.l. surface: 40.29 ha. surface: 40.29Altitude: ha. Altitude: 4361 m.a.s.l. Altitude: 4361 m.a.s.l. 4361 m.a.s.l.

ALTERNATIVE 2 ALTERNATIVE 2 ALTERNATIVE 2 Land 2021, 10, 884 9 of 20

Table 2. Cont.

◦ Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 9 of 20 N Land 2021Points, 10, x ofFOR Interest PEER REVIEW Description Code Photography 9 of 20

ALTERNATIVE 2 It is the main attraction of this route option apart It is the main attraction of this route option fromIt is the the main volcano attraction due to of its this route option apartscenic from the beauty. volcano It is due a to its scenic beauty. apart from the volcano due to its scenic beauty. 1717 Blue lakeBlue * lake * Itperiglacial is a periglacial wetland wetland that that is is born from BLthe BL 17 Blue lake * It is a periglacial wetland that is born from the BL thawsborn of from the theAltar thaws Volcano. of the Water surface: 51.15 thaws of the Altar Volcano. Water surface: 51.15 Altar Volcano.ha. Altitude: Water 4223 m.a.s.l. ha. Altitude: 4223 m.a.s.l. surface: 51.15 ha. Altitude: 4223 m.a.s.l.

It is the main camp for the It is the main camp for the high mountain route It is thehigh main mountain camp for route the high mountain route 18 Italian Camp whose main destination is the summit of “El IC 1818 ItalianItalian Camp Camp whosewhose main main destination destination is is the summit of “ElIC IC Obispo,” among others. the summitObispo of “El,” Obispo,” among others. among others.

It is the highest peak of Itthe is the El Altar highest Volcano peak of with the El Altar Volcano It is the highest peak of the El Altar Volcano with5319 5319 m.a.s.l., m.a.s.l., and and it isit is considered one of with 5319 m.a.s.l., and it is considered one of 19 Bishop peak consideredthe most difficult one of thepeaks most in Ecuador. A very BP 1919 BishopBishop peak peak difficultthe mostpeaks difficult in Ecuador.peaks in Ecuador. A veryBP BP high technical level is required to access this at- highA very technical high technicallevel is required level to access this at- traction.is required It is to the access highest this point of the SNP. traction. It is the highest point of the SNP. attraction. It is the highest * Places that cannot be visitedpoint directly of the from SNP. the route but which can be seen from viewpoints or camps. * Places that cannot be visited directly from the route but which can be seen from viewpoints or camps. * Places that cannot be visited directly from the route but which can be seen from viewpoints or camps. The mountain lake complex “El Altar” corresponds to periglacial wetland for- The mountain lake complex “El Altar” corresponds to periglacial wetland for- mations, whose height varies from 3803 to 4553 m.a.s.l. mations, whose height varies from 3803 to 4553 m.a.s.l. 3.2. Design of Tourist Route 3.2. Design of Tourist Route Once the mapping and description of the main tourist sites in the study area was Once the mapping and description of the main tourist sites in the study area was completed, the 19 tourist points were grouped into two alternatives (Figure 3). In addition, completed, the 19 tourist points were grouped into two alternatives (Figure 3). In addition, the reference distance to the attractions in a straight line was included, with respect to the the reference distance to the attractions in a straight line was included, with respect to the observer. For instance, from point 14, it is possible to observe tourist attractions at points observer. For instance, from point 14, it is possible to observe tourist attractions at points 15, and 16. However, the distances indicated in a straight line are not practicable by trek- 15, and 16. However, the distances indicated in a straight line are not practicable by trek- king. They are only representing the distance to a point of interest that can be viewed from king. They are only representing the distance to a point of interest that can be viewed from a given point on the route a given point on the route Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 9 of 19

The mountain lake complex “El Altar” corresponds to periglacial wetland for- mations, whose height varies from 3803 to 4553 m.a.s.l.

3.2. Design of Tourist Route Once the mapping and description of the main tourist sites in the study area was completed, the 19 tourist points were grouped into two alternatives (Figure 3). In addition, the reference distance to the attractions in a straight line was included, with respect to the observer. For instance, from point 14, it is possible to observe tourist attractions at points Land 2021, 10, 884 15, and 16. However, the distances indicated in a straight line are not practicable by10 trek- of 20 king. They are only representing the distance to a point of interest that can be viewed from a given point on the route

Figure 3. Network of tourist attractions identified by numbers in the study area. Legend: The study area is divided into Figure 3. Network of tourist attractions identified by numbers in the study area. Legend: The study area is divided into the the main route in blue color (numbers from 1 to 11); alternative 1 for trekking: points 12–16; and alternative 2 for high mainmountain route route: in blue points color 17–19. (numbers from 1 to 11); alternative 1 for trekking: points 12–16; and alternative 2 for high mountain route: points 17–19. Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 10 of 19

The main route including alternative 1 corresponds to the trekking route; this zone is characterized by ecosystems with abundant Andean vegetation and minimal anthropo- genic impacts in terms of land use changes. Alternative 2 represents the mountain climb- ing alternative to the summit of the BP, which is the highest peak of the AV. Moreover, on the route it is possible to observe landscapes of mountain tourism such as the peaks and the lake system. It should be noted that alternative 2 should be covered only with organized groups and tour operators regulated in the information system which should have guides specialized in mountain adventure. Figure 4 and Table 3 show the distances between the different tourist attractions, which make the route (BT PG, BC, GA, VV, ML, MC, PL, CAV, and IC) by taking into consideration the possible ways of traveling or viewing between any two given points. Therefore, the distances between any two given points for which a ground transportation possibility is specified represent the real ground distances, while the distances between any two given points for which “only viewing” is specified as an alternative represent the straight-line reference distance between those points extracted from the used mapping Land 2021, 10, 884 software. These lines were considered just to see the attractions because there are 11no of es- 20 tablished routes. In addition, the topographic conditions of the terrain are not optimal to visit the attractions.

Figure 4. Tourist route on the Altar Volcano, Sangay National Park. Land 2021, 10, 884 12 of 20

Table 3. General description of distances routes in AV.

Distance between Points of Reference Distance to Start Place Arrival Place Interest (km) Attractions (km) Vasija (Reference point of Bocatoma 33.26 - Departure) Bocatoma Padguazo 4.25 - Padguazo Base camp 3.30 - Base camp viewpoint Machay cave - 0.23 Base camp Gates of Altar 0.45 - Gates of Altar viewpoint Machay cave - 0.17 Gates of Altar Valley viewpoint 1.57 - Gates of Altar viewpoint Starry lake sighting - 2.45 Gates of Altar viewpoint Silver lake sighting - 0.82 Gates of Altar viewpoint Green lake sighting - 2.06 Valley viewpoint Mandur lake 2.12 - Mandur lake Mandur camp 0.19 - Mandur camp Waterfall Mandur sighting - 0.23 ALTERNATIVE 1 Mandur camp Painted lake 0.99 - Painted lake Canaleta viewpoint 0.56 - Canaleta viewpoint Collanes valley sighting - 1.51 Canaleta viewpoint Yellow lake sighting - 1.82 ALTERNATIVE 2 Valley viewpoint Italian camp 1.52 - Italian camp viewpoint Blue lake - 1.14 Italian camp viewpoint Bishop peak 1.94 -

3.3. Development of the Itinerary Figure5 and Figure 8 shows the general information of the tourist route considering relevant technical data of the journey. The information presented differentiates the routes from the general route with the alternative that is selected (trekking or ascent to the AV summit). Each option requires different levels of preparation, due to physical, technical, and equipment conditions. The route begins in Riobamba, for which it is recommended to have the proper equipment, clothing, and food, depending on the route to be taken (trekking and high mountains). For any option, the support of a certified local or national guide is necessary. In addition, along the way, there are wooden signs placed by the Ministry of Environment that refer to the SNP. Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 12 of 19 Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 12 of 19

to have the proper equipment, clothing, and food, depending on the route to be taken Land 2021, 10, 884 (trekkingto have the and proper high mountains). equipment, Forclothing, any option, and food, the support depending of a certifiedon the route local toor benational13 taken of 20 guide(trekking is necessary. and high Inmountains). addition, alongFor any the option, way, there the support are wooden of a certifiedsigns placed local by or thenational Min- istryguide of is Environment necessary. In thataddition, refer toalong the SNP.the wa y, there are wooden signs placed by the Min- istry of Environment that refer to the SNP.

Figure 5. General information of the route. FigureFigure 5. 5.General General information information of of the the route. route. FiguresFigures6 6and and7 show7 show tourist tourist attractions attractions as as AV AV and and BL, BL, in in addition addition to to the the most most repre- repre- Figures 6 and 7 show tourist attractions as AV and BL, in addition to the most repre- sentativesentative flora flora and and fauna fauna species, species, respectively. respectively. sentative flora and fauna species, respectively.

Figure 6. (a) Altar Volcano, (b) Chuquiraga jussieui, (c) Puya hamata, (d) Dorobaea pimpinellifolia, and Figure 6. (a) Altar Volcano, (b) Chuquiraga jussieui, (c) Puya hamata, (d) Dorobaea pimpinellifolia, and Figure(e) Silene 6. ( acaulisa) Altar. Volcano, (b) Chuquiraga jussieui,(c) Puya hamata,(d) Dorobaea pimpinellifolia, and (e) Silene acaulis. (e) Silene acaulis. Land 2021, 10, 884 14 of 20 Land 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 13 of 19

FigureFigure 7. 7.(a ()a Blue) Blue lake, lake, (b ()bVultur) Vultur gryphus gryphus(male), (male), (c ()cChalcostigma) Chalcostigma stanleyi stanleyi(female), (female), (d ()dOreotrochilus) Oreotrochilus chimborazo (male), and (e) Lycalopex culpaeus. chimborazo (male), and (e) Lycalopex culpaeus.

AlongAlong the the route, route, seven seven land land use use types types and and ecosystems ecosystems can can be be observed, observed, namely namely (i) (i) managedmanaged land, land, (ii) (ii) high high montane montane evergreen evergreen forest forest in in the the north north of of the the Andes Andes Mountain Mountain rangerange (Inguisay (Inguisay community), community), (iii) (iii) highland highland evergreen evergreen forest forest (path (path before before the the forest), forest), (iv) (iv) highlandhighland grassland grassland (mostly), (mostly), (v) (v) highland highland sub-nival sub-nival grassland grassland and and shrubland, shrubland, (vi) (vi) water water (wetlands,(wetlands, rivers, rivers, and and lakes) lakes) and and (vii) (vii) other other areas areas such such as as rocky rocky areas, areas, rocky rocky areas areas covered covered byby snow, snow, and and glaciers. glaciers. FigureFigure8 8describes describes the the itinerary itinerary forfor trekkingtrekking routeroute or to climb climb to to the the AV. AV. It It was was devel- de- velopedoped in in two two days days considering considering that that most most of of the the locals locals and and tourists tourists frequent frequent this this route route at atthat that time. time. ByBy choosing choosing the the second second alternative, alternative, it it is is possible possible to to climb climb on on the the summit summit of of “El “El Altar” Altar” (BP),(BP), but but the the trekking trekking is is very very demanding demanding and and extremely extremely technical, technical, being being suitable suitable only only for for expertexpert climbers. climbers. The The peaks peaks bear bear ecclesiastical ecclesiastical names names such such as as Bishop, Bishop, Big Big Nun, Nun, Little Little Nun, Nun, Tabernacle,Tabernacle, Eastern Eastern Friar, Friar, Blessed Blessed Friar, Friar, Central Central Friar, Friar, Big Big Friar, Friar, and and Canon. Canon. This This itinerary itinerary maymay enable enable variousvarious activitiesactivities such as as climbi climbing,ng, camping, camping, photography, photography, environmental environmental in- interpretation,terpretation, research, research, observation observation of floraflora andand fauna,fauna, andand trekking.trekking. Tourist Tourist facilities facilities are are trails,trails, signs, signs, sanitary sanitary batteries, batteries, food food sales, sales, and and camping camping areas. areas. Among Among the the recommended recommended equipmentequipment are are insulation insulation (foam (foam mat), mat), hiking hiking sticks, sticks, a a blocker, blocker, rubber rubber boots, boots, a a medicine medicine cabinet,cabinet, a a compass compass oror GPS, wool socks, socks, a a tent, tent, glasses, glasses, a wool a wool cap, cap, light light gloves, gloves, a flashlight, a flash- light,a backpack a backpack of 35 ofto 3545 toL 45maximum L maximum capacity, capacity, warm warm and waterproof and waterproof clothing, clothing, and a and sleep- a sleepinging bag. bag. Land 10 Land2021 2021, , 10, 884, x FOR PEER REVIEW 1514 of of 20 19

Alternative 1: Visit to Canaleta Alternative 2: Altar volcano summit DAY 1 DAY 11 Time Activities description Time Activities description

06h00 Departure from Riobamba (Vasija roundabout) 06h00 Departure from Riobamba (Vasija roundabout)

07h30 Arrival at the Bocatoma 07h30 Arrival at the Bocatoma

08h00 Start of the route 08h00 Start of the route

09h30 Padguazo forest arrival and breakfast 09h30 Padguazo forest arrival and breakfast

10h00 Departure to base camp 10h00 Departure to base camp

11h30 Arrival to base camp and rest 11h30 Arrival to base camp and rest

12h00 Arrival at the gates of the Altar 12h00 Arrival at the gates of the Altar

13h00 Arrival at Valley viewpoint 13h00 Arrival at Valley viewpoint

15h00 Arrival at the Mandur Lake 15h00 Arrival at the Mandur Lake

15h15 Set up a tent at the Mandur camp and lunch 15h30 Arrival at the Italian camp, set up a tent and lunch

15h45 Departure to Painted lake 16h30 Glacier school departure and equipment review

16h30 Arrival at Painted lake 19h00 Arrival at the Italian* camp and dinner * 17h00 Arrival at the Canaleta viewpoint 20h00 Rest DAY 2 17h30 Departure to the Mandur camp 23h00 Departure to the Bishop's summit attempt 18h30 Arrival at the Mandur camp 07h00 Arrival at the Bishop's summit 19h00 Dinner 07h30 Departure to the Italian camp 20h00 Astrophotography (optional) 11h30 Arrival to the Italian camp 00h00 Rest 11h30 Rest and lunch DAY 2 06h00 Equipment arrangement 12h30 Lifting of the camp 13h00 Departure to Bocatoma 07h00 Breakfast

07h30 Lifting of the camp 17h00 Arrival at the Bocatoma 17h00 Rest 08h00 Departure to the Bocatoma

13h00 Arrival at the Bocatoma and rest 17h30 Departure to Riobamba 19h00 Arrival to Riobamba 14h00 Departure to Riobamba

15h30 Arrival to Riobamba

Figure 8. Itinerary of the route. Figure 8. Itinerary of the route.

4.4. Discussion Discussion TheThe PA PA are are essential essential for for the the conservation conservation and and management management of biodiversity of biodiversity and and ecosys- eco- temssystems [43]. [43]. In Ecuador, In Ecuador, the PA the are PA important are import sitesant for sites conservation for conservation and serve and a wideserve variety a wide ofvariety uses [33 of]. uses The Sangay[33]. The National Sangay Park National (PNS) Park is one (PNS) of the is best one preserved of the best PA preserved of Ecuador PA [44 ]of withEcuador a wide [44] ecosystem with a wide [45] andecosystem faunistic [45] diversity and faunistic [46–48 ].diversity For the Ecuadorian[46–48]. For Ministrythe Ecuado- of Environment,rian Ministry one of Environment, of the principles one of of PA the is toprin promoteciples of sustainable PA is to promote tourism, sustainable which involves tour- theism, management, which involves zoning, the andmanagement, establishment zoning of strategic, and establishment alliances with of stakeholdersstrategic alliances [40]. Throughwith stakeholders this great biodiversity[40]. Through and this landscapes, great biodiversity the lack and of tourist landscapes, routes the would lack beof tourist a big problemroutes would to consolidate be a big a problem unique experience to consolidate in this a area.unique So, experience the route mapping in this area. is a usefulSo, the butroute little-used mapping technique is a useful in visitorbut little-used research techni [36]. Inque relation in visitor to theresearch above-mentioned, [36]. In relation this to studythe above-mentioned, showed new route this alternatives study showed with anew thorough route alternatives network analysis with a in thorough GIS for touristsnetwork andanalysis locals in visiting GIS for the tourists AV. and locals visiting the AV. InIn addition, addition, they they are are potentialpotential areasareas for the realization realization of of leisure leisure and and recreation recreation activ- ac- tivitiesities in in contact contact with with nature nature [49]. [49]. The The touris tourismm use ofof thesethese areasareas shouldshould bebe not not only only an an instrumentinstrument for for the the economic economic sustainability sustainability and and well-being well-being of surrounding of surrounding populations, populations, but alsobut an also object an object for their for proper their proper management manageme [50]. Thent [50]. environment The environment of PA is theof rawPA is material the raw Land 2021, 10, 884 16 of 20

of tourist activity; it is imperative to find a balance between the use and protection of natu- ral attributes, so that tourist attractions are maintained over time [51]. Therefore, a more adapted stewardship to increase the accessibility of the landscape could bring benefits by mobilizing more people near the tourist attractions [34]. The PNS has no populations immediately close; however, it is considered a tourist center for immediate populations such as Riobamba [52]. In the case of Riobamba Canton, it is surrounded by majestic landscapes and mountains; its different parishes have natural and cultural richness; one of the best-figure direct accesses to “El Altar” and its lake complex is by the parish “Santiago de Quimiag” [37]. In brief, “Capac Urco” has an interesting trekking trail: ecosystems along the route vary from tropical forests to glaciers [53]. At the starting point of the hike, the landscape seems a bit tropical, but at higher altitude, the landscape gradually transforms into pastures and herbs of moor, which has an incredible ability to store water through its unique vegetation, and its ecological and geological qualities. In addition, the weather is very unpredictable, so it is necessary to be ready for rain, and the mountains are often covered with thick clouds and fog. The study route is known as the “Inguisay-Las Puertas, Bocatoma” sector, which requires long walks through self-guided trails to the camping area; lakes can be visited in journeys of 1 to 3 days according to the interest of the visitor. In this context, leisure is seen as a subjective experience, freely chosen, satisfying and of wide social scope [54–61]. As it happens with other manifestations of leisure, experiences that involve contact with nature bring a number of physical and mental benefits, such as perceived well-being, stress reduction, and physical and mental restoration [59,62,63]. However, tourist satisfaction is also achieved through a second way: emotional connections to the destination during the travel experience [64]. A positive emotional connection is based on a complex combination of negative and positive emotional interactions with attractions, facilities, and services during the travel [65]. In this way, the protection and management of a natural environment is an issue of interest and responsibility for agents involved in the tourist phenomenon and calls for an ethical stance of these agents in host communities and in visited environments [66]. The conditioning of these natural areas can promote the tourism and ecotourism activities; thus it contributes to improving the socio-economic development of the local population and promotes respect for nature in the destination [49]. Regarding the cleanliness and accessibility of the parks, there is a disjunctive; on the one hand, visitors seem to want and value a direct relationship with non-disturbed nature, in a space of intimacy with their close group; and on the other, there is a desire to improve accessibility and services [67]. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen and maintain factors that enhance the level of tourist satisfaction, such as the diversification of tourist attractions and the viewing time, aspects that will make the perceived value of the trip exceed expectations within the “El Altar” route. The main effect of tourism and development of a community is the presence of a group of commoners, who are native tour guides trained in topics related to the improvement in the provision of tourist services. On the other hand, the implementation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has enabled regional planning, as well as the organization and management of geographical space [68]. In tourist area, the importance of GIS resides in the management that can be given to geographical information, making it possible to represent the territories [69]. It has a significant contribution in planning and decision-making in order to strengthen the tourism within a specific territory. Indeed, itineraries are excellent options to promote the discovery of the environment and heritage [70,71]. In the case of the “Inguisay-Las Puertas” route, it was drawn up through georeferenced points.

5. Conclusions According to the problems and objectives of the study, 19 points of interest were initially identified in the study area. The importance and characteristics of these sites made it possible to present two tourist route designs as alternatives for visiting the Altar Land 2021, 10, 884 17 of 20

Volcano in Sangay National Park. The first alternative allows visiting and/or observing 16 sites of interest, while the second alternative allows visiting and/or observing 15 points. These alternatives respond to the problems identified in the current tourism offer of Sangay National Park. The number of days required has been shortened to two; in addition, it can be hiked by hikers with little experience in mountain routes and points have been established to observe greater biodiversity and representative physical elements of the Andean zone. For the selection of points of interest in the construction of alternative routes, aspects such as safety, scenic beauty, biodiversity, distances, and the time required to travel between attractions and tourist facilities were considered. These will generate confidence and a high level of visitor satisfaction during tourism activities. The itineraries will guarantee the tourist’s enjoyment through a variety of activities. Thus, the activities include trekking, camping, and observation of lakes and peaks. It is important to note that the points of interest (SL, SIL, GL, MW, CV, YL, BL) were selected as viewpoints because they allow the visitor to enjoy in all their splendor representative landscapes of the Andean zone such as lakes, valleys, and peaks. This does not preclude access to them, as long as the difficulty of access and its restrictions are considered. The results obtained provide managers and administrators with a tourism management tool to increase the number of visitors without altering the level of satisfaction and boost the economy of local populations. The main limitation identified in the study was the difficulty in carrying out field work due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. At the same time, once in the field, this initial limitation facilitated the evaluative work since access to visitors was restricted. It is recommended to continue with the research processes in the study area with a focus on the identification of new points of tourist interest, with the objective of establishing alternative routes and itineraries with a greater number of days, which can link the results of this study. Other fundamental topic for future research is the evaluation of the level of satisfaction and possible environmental impacts on the fragile ecosystems of the area.

Author Contributions: Conception of the idea presented, A.V.G.M., D.D.C.V., and C.R.C.V.; concep- tualization, A.V.G.M., D.D.C.V., C.R.C.V. and P.E.T.G.; methodology, A.V.G.M., J.F.E.P., C.R.C.V. and P.E.T.G.; software, J.F.E.P., P.E.T.G. and G.M.P.V.; writing—original draft preparation, A.V.G.M., D.D.C.V., G.M.P.V. and C.M.-R.; visualization, A.V.G.M., J.F.E.P., P.E.T.G. and G.M.P.V.; writing—review and editing, A.V.G.M., D.D.C.V. and C.M.-R.; supervision, A.V.G.M., D.D.C.V. and C.M.-R.; project administration, D.D.C.V. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Funding: This work was supported by the project “IDIPI-222—RETOUR—PRODUCTOS TURIS- TICOS SUSTENTABLES COMO ESTRATEGIA PARA EL DESARROLLO ECONOMICO DE LAS PARROQUIAS RURALES DEL CANTON RIOBAMBA, PROVINCIA DE CHIMBORAZO,” funded by the Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo through the Research Institute (IDI-ESPOCH) and by the Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania. Data Availability Statement: All the data generated and analyzed during this study are included in this published article. Acknowledgments: This study is a part of the Sustainable Tourist Products Design Research Project from the Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (RETOUR-ESPOCH). The research leading to these results has received logistical and financial support from the ESPOCH through the Research Institute (IDI-ESPOCH) and Transilvania University of Brasov, through the Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Department of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Ter-restrial Measurement. The authors would also like to make a special mention of Stelian Alexandru Borz for their valuable support in checking the draft manuscript. Finally, we would like to thank to local people from Quimiag parish for sharing us their knowledge in the field trip and provide us particular information about the route. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Land 2021, 10, 884 18 of 20

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