Resumo

NOBLECILLA-GRUNAUER, Mauricio Samuel; OLLAGUE-VALAREZO, Jose Kennedy; CALLE-INIGUEZ, Melissa Paulina  e  MEDINA-CASTILLO, Wiliam Tranquilino. Travel motivations behind the imprint of COVID-19. Qualitative view of tourist behavior in Machala. Telos [online]. 2025, vol.27, n.1, pp.116-131.  Epub 03-Jul-2025. ISSN 1317-0570.  https://doi.org/10.36390/telos271.09.

The objective of this research was to describe the travel motivations of tourists in Machala after the COVID-19 pandemic. A phenomenological methodology was used, applying in-depth interviews and focus groups with tourists who visited the city after the health crisis. This approach provided a contextualized understanding of travelers' perceptions. The results indicate that the main motivations include the search for unique experiences, the desire for social reconnection, and the need to escape the stress accumulated during confinement. In addition, an increase in preference for local and sustainable destinations was observed, reflecting a shift in tourism consumption patterns. Overall, this study provides information for tourism stakeholders in Machala, proposing that adaptation to new motivations may be key to the recovery of the tourism sector in the region. In conclusion, the change of motivations in the social representations of tourism is highlighted. The study has shown that the reasons for travel of visitors to Machala have undergone a remarkable transformation after the pandemic. In this scenario, elements such as trust, the search for genuine experiences and the need to escape from everyday life have become predominant factors.

Palavras-chave : travel motivations; COVID-19 and tourism; qualitative analysis; tourists in Machala; tourism in Ecuador.

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