Geoenvironmental zoning of the Santa Elena Peninsula-Ecuador for sustainable management

Abstract

The Santa Elena Peninsula is one of the main tourist attractions along the Ecuadorian coast. It is constantly developing and requires sustainable management and territorial planning. This study aims to identify areas of tourist, industrial, urban, and rural interest through geospatial tools to formulate adaptive geoenvironmental management strategies and territorial planning for sustainable development. The methodology includes i) data collection and processing, ii) spatial analysis of areas of interest, and iii) sustainable development strategies. The results indicate that 24.8% of the study area has coastal tourism potential that integrates natural, geological, and cultural wealth, with management measures focused mainly on addressing environmental, social, and political needs for stakeholders' future decision-making. This study represents a tool for the sustainable and responsible management of coastal tourism development through geospatial analysis.