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Ancestral Knowledge; Colta; Conocimiento Ancestral; Health Tourism; Medicinal; Turismo De Salud;
The ancestral medicinal knowledge is a set of knowledge that, through legendary practices, tries to balance the elements of the universe to achieve the well-being of the human being. Currently, health tourism, driven by new tourist motivations, calls for creating spaces where tourists feel identified and can satisfy their needs around mental, physical and spiritual harmony. The Colta canton, Chimborazo province, known as the cradle of the Puruhá nationality, is a remnant not only of natural and cultural resources but also of intangible cultural heritage rooted in historical memory as a symbol of identity. The objective of this article is to analyze the influence of ancestral medicinal knowledge on health tourism in the sector, viewed as a strategy for tourism progress. The research is mixed, descriptive and correlational, which, among other results, allowed to know that on average 73% of people linked to ancestral medicine, agree that their knowledge would constitute an alternative for development, with 77% basically knowing the service of immediate healing and healing. On the other hand, 75% of tourists who visit the Colta canton indicate their interest in jointly carrying out activities related to health and tourist tourism and where 65% would be motivated mainly to achieve their spiritual well-being. With a statistical chi-square value of 0.000, it was possible to affirm the influence of ancestral medicinal knowledge in health tourism, which provides a foundation and serves as the basis for future innovative and responsible tourism projects.