Digital Marketing Strategies for the Positioning of Sustainable Tourist Destinations in Ecuador: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Sustainable tourism in Ecuador faces the challenge of achieving solid global positioning, especially when compared to other Latin American destinations such as Costa Rica and Peru, which have significantly advanced in this area. Despite having rich biodiversity and cultural attractions, Ecuador has not been able to maximize the use of digital marketing tools to promote its sustainable destinations. The general objective of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies to improve the positioning of sustainable tourist destinations in Ecuador. The methodology used is quantitative, descriptive, and comparative. Data was collected through structured surveys applied to 300 Ecuadorian tourism companies and semi-structured interviews with representatives of tourism organizations. A documentary review of previous reports on the implementation of digital marketing in the tourism sector was also conducted. The results indicate that only 25% of tourism companies in Ecuador effectively use digital marketing tools, and less than 5% of their total budget is allocated to this area. The most common strategies include the use of social media, although its implementation is limited compared to countries like Costa Rica, where the investment in digital marketing is higher. The lack of training and resources are the main barriers identified for adopting more advanced technologies, such as SEO optimization and Google Ads advertising.