Turismo cultural como detonante del desarrollo urbano de las ciudades medias. Ruta de la panela en Villeta Cundinamarca

Abstract

The processes of technification of panela production in Villeta city, which is located in the Cundinamarca region, have generated the loss of the infrastructure of the artisan trapiches due to the great economic cost that these modifications generate for the owners of the farms. This leads to the loss of some sugar mills and the decrease in panela production in the municipality, creating a deficit in the socioeconomic development opportunities of the rural centers where this production is located, affecting the panela labour market. To address this problem, the following question is answered: What cultural tourism strategy associated with the production of panela in Villeta can potentiate its economic development, and therefore, the urban development of the localities where this production is located. The proposed hypothesis is that the creation of a "panela route" in Villeta stimulates development growth of the rural settlements connected by this route, through the construction of connectivity and support infrastructure. The objective is to establish a cultural tourism route in Villeta, from the identification of the milestones that account for the production, transformation and history of the panela and its implementation in relation to the construction of support infrastructure and connectivity, promoting by this way socioeconomic development of the rural centers.

The development of a route that covers the landmarks and panela farms that expose the production and elaboration of panela in the municipality is proposed, in which two route sections with different topographic and spatial characteristics are developed according to characteristics of production in which farms are located. In each of these areas a support infrastructure system is created with different services such as restaurants, interpretation centers, rural hotels, museums and viewpoints. Both routes sections begin in the center of Villeta (Plaza Principal), and in the route end points are projected divers recreational facilities for the route visitors.