Community-Based Sustainability Perceptions in Rural Destinations: The “Pueblos con Encanto” Program in Cruz Pampa–Yapatera, Peru

Abstract

The cultural valorization-based territorial recognition program has established itself as an effective strategy for fostering sustainability in rural tourism destinations. However, there is limited evidence of their influence from the community’s perspective. This study analyzes the relationship between the conditions of territorial recognition promoted by the “Pueblos con Encanto” (Charming Villages) program and the sustainability of the Cruz Pampa–Yapatera tourist destination. A mixed-methods approach was employed, utilizing a non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational design. For the quantitative part, a structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 336 residents from the area, using simple random sampling. Data analysis included statistics and Pearson’s correlation. For the qualitative part, 13 interviews were conducted with representative members. These people have influence over the governance of the area. The results of the triangulation showed that, according to the residents’ perception, Cruz Pampa–Yapatera meets the requirements for the “Pueblos con Encanto” program. It is evidenced in its historical heritage and Afro-Peruvian cultural heritage, such as its cumananas, local cuisine, and religious festivities. However, it has deficiencies in infrastructure and tourist facilities that require improvements to strengthen the tourist experience and preserve its cultural identity. Furthermore, the “Pueblos con Encanto” recognition program is positively and significantly related to the current sustainability of the destination. The research demonstrates, through empirical assessment, a positive perception among the local population of sustainability in their community based on the “Pueblos con Encanto” program criteria. A process that should be incorporated into the evaluation framework for the granting of such recognition.

1. Introduction

Over the past two decades, territorial recognition seals, badges, and programs have solidified as key policy instruments in tourism and heritage management. This has enabled localities to strengthen their positioning, systematize service offerings, and stimulate local economies through cultural valorization. Within this context, designations such as creative cities and enchanting villages have emerged as contemporary expressions of heritage processes, where culture functions as a “calling card” in global tourism markets (Adriwati et al., 2025). This view highlights a shift from heritage as a conserved object toward a dynamic resource for territorial competitiveness, producing tensions among authenticity, commodification, and the governance of cultural value (Santamarina Campos & Del Mármol, 2017).

Among these programs, Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Villages) program is one of the most studied due to its scope, institutional continuity, and territorial expansion (Núñez-Camarena & Ettinger-Mc Enulty, 2020). One line of research focuses on its operational trajectory and policy variations. Highlighting that the program has gone through different stages and regulatory/budgetary changes, creating scenarios of continuity and intermittency that condition its economic, social, cultural, and institutional results (Vázquez Hernández, 2023). This type of analysis allows us to understand that territorial recognitions are not “static labels” but rather governance and financing arrangements that influence the impacts perceived by the community (Vázquez Hernández, 2023).

A further critical strand of research examines social perceptions and the contributions of territorial recognition to local development, constructing multidimensional indices (economic, social, cultural, political-institutional, and environmental) (Lemke & Bastini, 2020; Pacurucu-Cáceres et al., 2025). In the case of Tlalpujahua (Michoacán), findings reveal comparatively stronger performance in the cultural dimension alongside notable weaknesses in social and political–institutional aspects (Vázquez Hernández, 2022b). The resulting index reveals, from citizens’ perspectives, insufficient contributions to local development (Reese & Li, 2020). Underscoring how community perceptions can expose asymmetries, elevated cultural valorization may persist without necessarily generating proportional social or institutional progress (Heyik et al., 2024).

Complementing this, a welfare-oriented lens has assessed the program’s impacts on quality of life via indicators of employment, business development, and exclusion/marginalization (Jiménez Jiménez et al., 2021). Results indicate that designation alone does not guarantee meaningful quality-of-life gains and may even coincide with declines in some areas, highlighting how outcomes depend on implementation conditions and site selection criteria (Soto De Anda & Arzate Salgado, 2025). For this study, these findings strengthen the argument for assessing territorial recognition in terms of destinations’ actual sustainability, rather than mere visibility or tourist growth (Winiarczyk-Raźniak & Raźniak, 2021).

In economic and business terms, the impact of the designation on entrepreneurship and income has also been studied. In a comparative case study (Loreto and Todos Santos), the program is reported to have had a positive effect on business income, associated with variables such as an increase in customers, hours worked, and foreign ventures, with differences between locations. These results show that recognition can promote economic revitalization, but in a heterogeneous manner and subject to local conditions (Armendáriz et al., 2024).

Beyond Mexico, the recent literature on tourism villages provides comparable categories for understanding sustainability and territorial management. In Indonesia, qualitative evaluations of tourism village development programs show that they focus on empowering communities as direct actors, strengthening tourism awareness, and organizing agendas around local wisdom, including structures such as community tourism promotion groups (Adriwati et al., 2025). Along the same lines, studies on promotion strategies in tourist villages highlight image marketing, attractions, infrastructure, and people marketing, underscoring the need for territorial-focused promotional and management policies to address increasing and unevenly distributed visitation (Ningrum et al., 2025). These contributions support the argument that the sustainability of a destination depends as much on its brand as on its management capacity, community coordination, and enabling conditions.

From quantitative management perspectives, models have mapped linkages among local capacities, innovation, and competitive edges to cultivate “smart and sustainable” tourism villages, identifying significant associations between destination capabilities, sustainable/smart approach adoption, and management performance via structural equation modeling (SEM) (Amrullah et al., 2023). They prove especially insightful, furnishing grounds to argue that residents’ perceived sustainability may be tied to organizational capacities, innovation, and governance rather than merely formal recognition.

Taken together, the evidence reviewed converges on three key ideas: (1) territorial recognition functions as a heritage and market mechanism that reconfigures the cultural value and visibility of the destination (Santamarina Campos & Del Mármol, 2017); (2) their effects are multidimensional and uneven, necessitating evaluation from the community perception standpoint rather than relying solely on tourism indicators (Adriwati et al., 2025; Vázquez Hernández, 2022b; Winiarczyk-Raźniak & Raźniak, 2021); and (3) the sustainability of the destination is strengthened when recognition is accompanied by management capacity, innovation, participation, and improved structural conditions (Adriwati et al., 2025; Amrullah et al., 2023). Although cultural value and identity can support eligibility for a label such as “Pueblos con Encanto” (Charming Villages). For that, sustainability requires addressing gaps in infrastructure, services, and governance to prevent recognition from being reduced to a marketing label.

The main objective of this research is to evaluate Cruz Pampa–Yapatera’s viability as a “Pueblos con Encanto” program destination, revealing how its Afro-descendant legacy and cultural richness hold the key to sustainable growth and broader economic opportunities in the region. Specifically, the current study investigated the following: (1) To analyze the relationship between the conditions of the “Pueblos con Encanto” program and the characterization of the tourist destination Cruz Pampa Yapatera from the perspective of the local community. (2) To interpret how key stakeholders perceive the Pueblos con Encanto program and the characteristics of the Cruz Pampa Yapatera tourist destination.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Sustainable Tourism and the Triple Bottom Line

A pillar of the theoretical framework of this study is the concept of sustainable tourism, conceived as a dynamic equilibrium among economic performance, social well-being, and environmental protection (Han et al., 2023). Liu et al. (2015) argue that sustainable tourism continuously maintains the balance of the triple bottom line, encompassing environmental, social, and economic dimensions, thereby precluding a reduction of sustainability to a single economic outcome. Han et al. (2023) further show that residents’ support for sustainable tourism development is closely tied to their perceptions of tourism’s impacts, including economic gains, social cohesion, and non-material effects on quality of life.

In rural contexts, sustainable tourism is increasingly associated with the revitalization of cultural heritage and the reinforcement of local identities (Cruz Rocha et al., 2024). Cerjak et al. (2026) contend that cultural heritage can drive sustainable rural tourism by diversifying tourism offerings, strengthening local identity, and generating socioeconomic benefits in depopulating communities (Su et al., 2025). Caro-Carretero and Monroy-Rodríguez (2025) emphasize that understanding residents’ perceptions supports the implementation of sustainable tourism practices and helps anticipate governance challenges. Within this framework, sustainability can be conceptualized as a form of tourism development that preserves territorial and cultural resources while pursuing durable and equitable benefits for the host community.

2.2. Community-Based Tourism and Local Agency

A second pillar, complementing the sustainability lens, this study draws on community-based tourism (CBT) as a key theoretical construct, which positions local communities at the center of tourism development and decision-making. Jackson (2025) defines CBT as an innovative and participatory approach whose purpose extends beyond hosting visitors to actively involving residents in shaping the trajectory of tourism itself. In more practical terms, Sebele (2010) argues that CBT initiatives can enhance local benefits and support resource conservation when communities participate meaningfully in tourism activities and management. From this standpoint, CBT is understood as a form of local development in which communities move from peripheral to central actors in destination development (Pramono & Juliana, 2025).

From the perspective of sustainability and livelihoods, Pasanchay and Schott (2021) explain that CBT can enhance rural household well-being when decision-making remains with the community, and benefits align with existing livelihood strategies. Turčinović et al. (2025) show that community-led tourism in rural areas is associated with local empowerment, community participation, and destination competitiveness, underscoring its relevance for territories with distinct cultural identities. Taken together, these contributions frame CBT as a model in which communities actively co-shape local tourism and generate sustainable territorial outcomes, thereby aligning with the triple-bottom-line framework of this study.

2.3. Residents’ Perceptions and Social Legitimacy of Tourism

An additional theoretical dimension of the study concerns residents’ perceptions of tourism, which are treated as a key indicator of social legitimacy and sustainability. Gogitidze et al. (2022) argue that examining residents’ perceptions offers a valuable starting point for future tourism strategies, as it clarifies how the local population evaluates the impacts of tourism on their area. Rasoolimanesh et al. (2017) show that positive residents’ perceptions strengthen their support for and participation in sustainable tourism development, while negative perceptions tend to weaken it. In this sense, perceptions constitute a key analytical dimension for assessing the social acceptability of tourism in a destination.

Jiang et al. (2023) find that perceived benefits of tourism exert a significant positive influence on residents’ support and engagement, whereas perceived risks may reduce support, thereby affirming the analytical importance of perceptions in understanding community responses to tourism. This perspective is reinforced by Šerić et al. (2024), who show that a sustainable destination image positively shapes residents’ satisfaction and their pro-sustainable behaviors, including favorable recommendations and the adoption of sustainable tourism practices. Overall, the literature supports the view that community perceptions are central to evaluating the acceptance, viability, and social sustainability of tourism activity, which directly informs the empirical focus of this study.

2.4. International Rural-Tourism Programs and Territorial Governance

The theoretical model of this study also integrates insights from international rural-tourism certification and recognition programs, which link tourism development with heritage preservation, community participation, and territorial governance. The Best Tourism Villages initiative, launched by the UN World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in 2021, has emerged as a global framework designed to position rural tourism as a vehicle for sustainable development by recognizing destinations that combine the preservation of cultural and natural heritage with participatory and resilient governance models (UN Tourism, 2025). The program assesses territories along dimensions such as economic, social, and environmental sustainability, tourism development, infrastructure, and safety, while also fostering an international network for knowledge exchange and the diffusion of best practices (Tovmasyan, 2023).

In this context, the literature generally agrees that rural tourism functions as a strategic instrument for economic diversification, employment generation, and heritage conservation, provided it is grounded in community participation and the responsible use of territorial resources (Al Anshori & Dzulkifli, 2025). Pinassi (2026) cautions, however, that contemporary discourses tend to idealize rural areas and may overlook certain structural constraints. Empirically, Yapici et al. (2026) show that joining the Best Tourism Villages network helps strengthen the destination’s image and perceived value, fostering regional development by highlighting culture, the natural environment, and tourist experiences—provided there is effective coordination between local stakeholders and sustainable management strategies. From a theoretical perspective, this initiative exemplifies how rural-tourism programs can institutionalize participatory governance and sustainability as core pillars of territorial development.

2.5. “Pueblos Mágicos” (Magical Villages) in Mexico

Against this theoretical backdrop, the Mexican program “Pueblos Mágicos” (Magical Villages) illustrates how national-level rural-tourism branding can interact with heritage, community identity, and state-led development. Internationally, several countries with high tourism potential have promoted strategies aimed at consolidating sustainable destinations that combine environmental sustainability, economic viability, and global competitiveness to ensure their longevity. Within this framework, in 2001, Mexico implemented the “Pueblos Mágicos” program, which channels resources from the three levels of government to revitalize localities with distinctive symbolic, historical, and cultural attributes (Velarde Valdez et al., 2009; Winiarczyk-Raźniak & Raźniak, 2021).

Designed to diversify and enrich the national tourism portfolio (Armendáriz et al., 2024; Vázquez Hernández, 2023), this program spotlights sociocultural expressions that define local identity (Gobierno de México, 2020; Vázquez Hernández, 2022a). The program has contributed to the economic growth of the incorporated localities (Alvarado Rosas, 2015), revaluing tangible and intangible heritage, traditions, festivities, gastronomy, and monuments as the basis for tourism development (Ortiz Martínez et al., 2024). Furthermore, the designation has intensified tourist activity in the beneficiary destinations, reaffirming the role of the state in formulating public policies that guide the dynamism of the sector (Pérez Ramírez & Antolín Espinos, 2016). In this context, the social appropriation of heritage and the internalization of cultural identity by the community are essential for projecting authenticity and strengthening sustainable and humanized tourism (Bolaños Ortega et al., 2021), which resonates with the community-based and sustainability dimensions of the theoretical model.

2.6. “Pueblos con Encanto” (Charming Villages) in Peru

The Peruvian “Pueblos con Encanto” (Charming Villages) program further operationalizes the study’s theoretical framework by linking rural-tourism development, participatory governance, and heritage-based sustainability in a post-crisis context. In Peru, the COVID-19 crisis delivered a deep shock to the tourism value chain, triggering unprecedented contraction (Tudela et al., 2022). Yet it simultaneously unveiled pathways to reimagine tourism development along more resilient and sustainable lines (Paredes Izquierdo et al., 2020). Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR) emphasized bolstering domestic tourism via authentic encounters tied to history, culture, and territorial identity.

This led to Ministerial Resolution N° 099-2021-MINCETUR, approving the “Guidelines for Incorporation and Permanence in the Pueblos con Encanto program,” which targets heritage-rich, tourism-oriented villages boasting genuine, distinctive cultural and natural attributes to foster sustainable, competitive growth (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo, 2025a). Grounded in four pillars—coordinating, integrative-participatory, territorial, and differentiating—the program guides planning, tourism product enhancement, and market positioning (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo, 2023). International precedents such as “Pueblos Mágicos” illustrate how multiculturalism and endogenous attractions can ignite rural revitalization (Núñez-Camarena & Ettinger-Mc Enulty, 2020; Universidad de Sonora et al., 2021). In Peru, Ollantaytambo exemplifies early success, blending intergovernmental planning, Inca legacy preservation, and local socioeconomic activation (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo, 2025b).

Currently, fourteen destinations hold “Pueblos con Encanto” status in Peru. These localities were selected for their tourism aptitude, patrimonial worth, and standout cultural, productive, or natural features (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo, 2025c). Incorporating minority-populated regions strategically advances their social and economic welfare (Rodríguez Del Carmen et al., 2025), and participatory processes uniting key stakeholders prove indispensable for embedding sustainable, territorially cohesive tourism development (Infante Sánchez, 2014). In theoretical terms, this program aligns with the triple-bottom-line and community-based tourism frameworks, as it explicitly links heritage preservation, participatory governance, and local development.

3. Methods

3.1. Study Area

Cruz Pampa-Yapatera, located in the district of Chulucanas (Morropón, Piura, Peru), has been classified as a Level II cultural site (Dirección Regional de Comercio Exterior y Turismo de Piura, 2024). It is positioning itself as a repository of natural attractions and vibrant expressions that broaden regional tourism offerings.

Characterizing Cruz Pampa–Yapatera as a “Pueblos con Encanto” is imperative given its unique Afro-Peruvian heritage, which demands strategic integration into formal tourism programs to catalyze endogenous development. Living traditions such as the cumanana, the Golpe de Tierra dance, religious festivities, and the memory of the former sugar factory not only forge a collective identity but also act as magnets for visitors1 (Ballina Ballina, 2025). Preserving these within their specific territory aligns distinctive cultural attributes with MINCETUR criteria, which prioritize designations to amplify unique indigenous and geographic identities.

Formal recognition would generate employment through local value chains and raise community self-esteem (Santos-Júnior et al., 2020). Revenues recirculate via lodging, gastronomy, and events such as the Mango Festival, turning cultural stewardship into economic resilience without undermining authenticity. However, overcoming infrastructural shortcomings such as signage and basic services requires coordinated governance (Castaño-Prieto et al., 2025), tourism impact indicators, and technical assistance. This would position Cruz Pampa-Yapatera as a paradigm of sustainable tourism that balances global projection with local roots.

In 2023, Cruz Pampa–Yapatera attracted 9090 local visitors and 1530 domestic tourists, confirming its appeal while revealing the need for a formal “Pueblos con Encanto” designation. Such recognition would help raise occupancy rates, formalize agro-livestock supply chains, and turn seasonal events into sustained endogenous growth, preserving authenticity and expanding socioeconomic benefits.

Residents, especially baby boomers, maintain strong ties to their Afro-Peruvian roots and actively seek government support to protect and promote their cultural identity.

Granting Cruz Pampa–Yapatera official tourist destination status through the “Pueblos con Encanto” program would raise its national profile, help preserve traditions that are eroding among younger generations, and foster sustainable tourism based on heritage, gastronomy, and natural resources. The recognition would also counteract the effects of migration and cultural change on local identity and community cohesion. The Morropón–Chulucanas Provincial Municipality has formally acknowledged the community as Afro-Peruvian, highlighting its historical, cultural, and social milestones as a key step toward cultural and tourism revitalization.

The limited literature on Peru’s “Pueblos con Encanto” program highlights the original contribution of this study in examining how such designations foster tourism and cultural development in historically rich communities. Cruz Pampa–Yapatera, with its deep Afro-descendant heritage and striking landscapes, offers a compelling case for analyzing these dynamics. The study focuses on how the designation shapes local tourism trajectories and community life. It also assesses the implications of these changes for the sustainability and authenticity of tourism in the destination.

Despite growing interest in territorial recognition schemes like Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos or tourism villages, empirical studies linking them to tourism sustainability—especially through local community perspectives in emerging rural destinations—remain scarce. These programs are increasingly seen as tools to enhance cultural value and foster sustainable rural development. However, solid evidence on their effectiveness, as perceived by residents, is still lacking.

This investigation examines ties between territorial recognition criteria under Peru’s “Pueblos con Encanto” program and sustainability outcomes at the Cruz Pampa–Yapatera tourist site, centering community viewpoints. Its significance stems from highlighting an Afro-Peruvian enclave rich in cultural assets, from cumanana traditions and native cuisine to religious celebrations. Findings stand to inform sustainable tourism planning by bolstering territorial governance, cultural enhancement, and grassroots involvement in emerging rural destinations.

3.2. Data Collection

The study adopted a mixed, non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational design to examine the Cruz Pampa–Yapatera town center. Its aim was to identify the relationship between the destination’s heritage and tourism attributes and the criteria set forth in the “Pueblos con Encanto” program from inhabitants’ perceptions. This approach made it possible to measure perceptions and objective conditions using quantifiable and qualitative data without manipulating variables (Hernández Sampieri et al., 2014). The research is basic in nature, as it seeks to expand theoretical knowledge on the applicability of the “Pueblo con Encanto” category in rural contexts with Afro-Peruvian identity, prioritizing conceptual and analytical understanding over direct intervention (Vizcaíno Zúñiga et al., 2023). The cross-sectional design involved collecting information at a single point in time, allowing for a description of the current situation of the territory in relation to its cultural, social, and tourist components.

3.3. Sampling

The target population comprised 2898 inhabitants of Cruz Pampa–Yapatera, per official records (INEI, 2017). For the quantitative data collection, sample size was derived from statistical formulas for finite populations (Arias-Gómez et al., 2016), with the assumption of p = q = 5% and Prob. = 95%. The study sample was narrowed to 336 Afro-descendant residents. Participants were selected using a simple random sampling approach adapted from Hernández-Sampieri and Mendoza Torres (2018), as all inhabitants of the study area had an equal probability of being selected. Inclusion criteria required at least one year of residency and an age between 15 and 65 years, while exclusions applied to non-permanent residents and individuals who declined to provide consent.

For qualitative data collection, we identified 80 local key stakeholders. All of them were invited to participate through formal letters outlining the study objectives and requesting informed consent for the interviews. However, applying a voluntary-participation sampling approach (Hernández-Sampieri & Mendoza Torres, 2018), only 13 individuals agreed to take part. Non-participants indicated that they declined due to time constraints or lack of interest.

3.4. Instruments and Procedures

The quantitative data collection instrument was a structured questionnaire composed of three sections. The first section outlines the aim of the research and invites participants to take part. The second section comprised items corresponding to the study’s research constructs: Independent variable (IV): “Pueblos con Encanto” program and its dimensions: (D1) Planning and management, (D2) Development and strengthening of tourism products and services, (D3) Development of the tourism region, (D4) Positioning and commercial coordination, and (D5) Minimum requirements. Dependent variable (DV): “Characterization of a tourist destination” with two dimensions: (D1) Tangible elements and (D2) Intangible elements, as shown in

Table 1. Scales used, descriptive statistics, and frequency distributions.

Variable	Dimensions	Items	Indicators	Mean	Low (%)	Medium (%)	High (%)
“Pueblos con Encanto” program (IV)	Planning and management (D1)	3	There is an action plan for tourism development in Cruz Pampa-Yapatera. I participate in workshops and meetings as a member of the management committee promoting tourism development. I am familiar with local regulations that benefit Cruz Pampa-Yapatera.	2.39	19.6%	21.4%	58.9%
	Development and strengthening tourism products and services (D2)	3	I believe that if a visitor comes to Cruz Pampa-Yapatera, they will have a pleasant experience. I know there is a directory of tourist services in Cruz Pampa-Yapatera. Visitors can easily access the services available in the town.	2.69	2.1%	26.5%	71.4%
	Development of the tourism region (D3)	5	The tidiness, cleanliness, and well-maintained facades of the town of Cruz Pampa-Yapatera create a pleasant atmosphere. There is a facility in the town of Cruz Pampa-Yapatera that provides tourist information, public restrooms, and internet access for visitors. Banking services, a parking lot, and a public medical center are available to tourists. Projects to improve services for visitors are being promoted. Investment projects to improve the image, order, and cleanliness of the town of Cruz Pampa-Yapatera are being promoted.	2.67	1.2%	30.4%	68.5%
	Positioning and commercial coordination (D4)	5	Tourism promotion activities are carried out for Cruz Pampa-Yapatera. The town of Cruz Pampa-Yapatera has partnerships with public and private institutions to support tourism promotion. Support is received to promote tourism development projects in Cruz Pampa-Yapatera. Visitors arriving in the town of Cruz Pampa-Yapatera are registered to determine the type of visitor. Visitor satisfaction with the services, activities, and tourism experiences in Cruz Pampa-Yapatera is evaluated.	2.43	3.0%	51.2%	45.8%
	Minimum Requirements (D5)	6	It offers a variety of tourist attractions. It stands out from other towns in the province for its culture. It has sufficient basic services, such as water, electricity, access roads, sewage, and communications. It offers a variety of tourist activities for visitors. It has a wide selection of restaurants. It offers a variety of lodging options.	2.74	4.8%	16.1%	79.2%
“Characterization of a tourist destination” (DV)	Tangible Elements (D1)	7	It can be considered a charming town because it offers picturesque natural and cultural attractions for visitors. It has access points, overlooks, trails, and an information booth to provide adequate service for visitors. It has enough food establishments to provide adequate service to visitors. It has enough lodging options to provide adequate service to visitors. It has enough transportation services to provide adequate service to visitors. There is enough staff to meet the needs of tourism management in the town of Cruz Pampa-Yapatera. There is enough staff to provide tourists with recreational activities.	2.51	0.9%	46.7%	52.4%
	Intangible Elements (D2)	5	It is a “Charming Town” based on its current image. Cruz Pampa-Yapatera’s cultural identity sets it apart as a “charming town.” Visitors and tourists feel safe when visiting it. Tourists have access to historical and cultural information about Cruz Pampa-Yapatera during their visit. There are enough staff members to assist tourists with public services in the town, such as information, guidance, or assistance.	2.79	1.8%	17.3%	81.0%

Note. Variables and dimensions were taken from the “Pueblos con Encanto” program in Peru.

. The third section gathered sociodemographic information, including gender, age, educational level, and revenue. The survey was designed by the researchers based on the “Pueblos con Encanto” program and structured according to the study variables to assess inhabitants’ opinions. It comprised 22 items addressing the independent variable and 12 items addressing the dependent variable, both with responses measured on a five-point Likert scale: 1 (Strongly disagree), 2 (Disagree), 3 (Neutral), 4 (Agree), and 5 (Strongly agree).

The average response time was about 20 min, allowing participants to complete the questionnaire comfortably. Before taking part, respondents were given a brief overview of the study’s purpose. Data collection was carried out from January to May 2025 at different strategic points in the study area by a research team trained in advance, following standardized procedures to reduce bias and maintain consistency in interactions with inhabitants. The questionnaire was administered in person through direct engagement with residents in high-concentration areas, including the church, main square, restaurants, and their homes.

The qualitative data collection instrument was a structured guide interview composed of two main sections. The first section outlines the aim of the research and invites stakeholders to participate; respondents were asked to provide their full names and the institutions they represent. The second section comprised items corresponding to the study’s research constructs: Independent variable (IV): “Pueblos con Encanto” program and Dependent variable (DV): “Characterization of a tourist destination”. Following the qualitative analysis, four thematic axes were identified, as shown in

Table 2. Scales used.

Variable	Thematic Axis	Items	Indicators
“Pueblos con Encanto” program	Living Heritage, Cultural Identity, and Eligibility	2	The availability, conditions, and quality of tourism resources and services in Cruz Pampa–Yapatera. The degree to which the formalization and visibility of tourism services in Cruz Pampa–Yapatera have improved.
	Active Community Participation, Governance, and Coordination	3	An opinion regarding the appearance (landscape, cleanliness, order, and maintenance of building façades) of public spaces and streets in the town of Cruz Pampa–Yapatera. A description of the availability of services such as healthcare, public safety, accessibility, communications, and financial services (ATMs, bank agents, and others). An assessment of public investment projects and their current status in relation to the benefits they have provided to residents and/or tourism in Cruz Pampa–Yapatera.
“Characterization of a tourist destination”	Destination Welcoming Conditions (Infrastructure, Facilities, Services, and Tourist Experience)	3	What types of tourism promotion and branding initiatives are currently being implemented for the town of Cruz Pampa–Yapatera? What mechanisms are in place to assess visitor satisfaction, such as visitor logs, satisfaction surveys, or other tools? Provide an estimate of the budget allocation and prioritization for tourism promotion activities or tourism development projects in the town of Cruz Pampa–Yapatera.
	Monitoring, Formalization, and Sustainability Indicators	2	Your assessment of whether Cruz Pampa–Yapatera meets the requirements—considering both tangible and intangible elements—for initiating the “Charming Towns” recognition process. The extent to which the cultural identity present in Cruz Pampa–Yapatera qualifies it as a “Charming Town.”

.

The average response time was about 40 min, allowing stakeholders to answer the guide interview comfortably. Before taking part, respondents were given a brief overview of the study’s purpose. Data collection was carried out by a research team trained in advance. Stakeholders were selected based on their influence over the governance of the study area. The structured interview guide was administered during meetings convened by the research team, resulting in 13 interviews. The structured interview guide was also designed by the researchers considering the same criteria in the survey. The instrument was structured into 10 items covering both variables and designed with consideration for participants’ response time.

3.5. Ethical Considerations

Ethical protocols were strictly followed to ensure data quality, including verification of respondent profiles, obtaining verbal informed consent (given that, due to the cultural context, inhabitants prefer not to sign any documents), ensuring participation, maintaining confidentiality, and respecting the cultural identity of the assessed Afro-Peruvian community.

4. Results

4.1. Quantitative Data

A structured survey was administered to 336 residents, comprising 34 items allocated across five dimensions of the independent variable (IV): “Pueblos con Encanto” program—and two dimensions of the dependent variable (DV): tourist destination characterization.

The scatterplot reveals a moderate positive linear correlation between the DV (x-axis) and IV (y-axis), as indicated by the coefficient of determination $R^2$, as shown in Figure 1 The regression line demonstrates that each one-unit increase in the DV corresponds to an approximate 0.74-unit rise in the expected IV value, with the data cloud exhibiting a consistent upward trajectory.

Statistical Interpretation

Quantitative data is entered into a statistical database for descriptive analysis to profile study variables. Pearson’s correlation tests gauged links between perceived tourism potential and program recognition criteria, as shown in

Table 3. Pearson’s correlations.

Variables/Dimensions	r	Correlation
VI-VD	0.676	Strong moderate positive
D1 (VI) → D1 (VD)	0.364	Weak to moderate positive
D1 (VI) → D2 (VD)	0.194	Very weak positive
D2 (VI) → D1 (VD)	0.440	Moderate positive
D2 (VI) → D2 (VD)	0.417	Moderate positive
D3 (VI) → D1 (VD)	0.551	Strong moderate positive
D3 (VI) → D2 (VD)	0.482	Moderate positive
D4 (VI) → D1 (VD)	0.543	Strong moderate positive
D4 (VI) → D2 (VD)	0.303	Weak to moderate positive
D5 (VI) → D1 (VD)	0.545	Strong moderate positive
D5 (VI) → D2 (VD)	0.755	Strong positive

Note. Obtained from survey process.

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The correlation analysis reveals strong positive associations between dimensions of the “Pueblos con Encanto” program (independent variable) and the characterization of the tourist destination (dependent variable), with Pearson’s r values ranging from 0.194 to 0.755. The strongest relationship emerges between D5 (minimum requirements) and D2 (VD) (intangible elements; r = 0.755), indicating that foundational infrastructure and governance strongly predict cultural identity and territorial recognition. Similarly, strong moderate positive correlations (r > 0.54) consistently link D3 (development of the tourism region), D4 (positioning and commercial coordination), and D5 to D1 (VD) (tangible elements), underscoring their role in enhancing physical assets like facilities and services.

Weaker associations, such as D1 (planning and management) with D2 (VD) (r = 0.194, very weak positive), suggest that strategic planning alone insufficiently drives intangible heritage without complementary dimensions. Overall, these patterns imply a synergistic program effect on destination viability, where minimum requirements (D5) and regional development (D3) emerge as pivotal levers for both tangible and intangible maturation, advocating phased interventions prioritizing enabling conditions over isolated infrastructure.

Table 4. p-Value.

Variables/ Dimensions	p-Value	Confidence Intervals (95%)
		Superior Limit	Inferior Limit
VI → VD	0.000	0.613	0.730
D1 (VI) → D1 (VD)	0.000	0.268	0.454
D1 (VI) → D2 (VD)	0.000	0.089	0.295
D2 (VI) → D1 (VD)	0.000	0.349	0.522
D2 (VI) → D2 (VD)	0.000	0.324	0.501
D3 (VI) → D1 (VD)	0.000	0.472	0.622
D3 (VI) → D2 (VD)	0.000	0.396	0.561
D4 (VI) → D1 (VD)	0.000	0.463	0.615
D4 (VI) → D2 (VD)	0.000	0.205	0.397
D5 (VI) → D1 (VD)	0.000	0.465	0.616
D5 (VI) → D2 (VD)	0.000	0.706	0.797

shows that statistical analysis confirms highly significant positive associations (p < 0.001 across all pairs) between dimensions of the “Pueblos con Encanto” program and tourist destination characterization, with 95% confidence intervals. The narrowest intervals for D5 (minimum requirements) → D2 (VD) (intangible elements; 0.705–0.797) and D3 (development of the tourism region) → D1 (VD) (tangible elements; 0.472–0.622) indicate precise, strong estimates, underscoring these dimensions as reliable predictors of destination maturation.

These findings affirm the program’s efficacy in fostering sustainable tourism outcomes, where enabling conditions like infrastructure and regional integration yield the most consistent impacts on both tangible and intangible assets. Broad confidence bands for weaker links, such as D1 (planning and management) → D2 (VD) (0.089–0.295), highlight domains requiring enhanced implementation to amplify intangible heritage gains. Overall, the results advocate evidence-based prioritization of D3–D5 for scalable destination development.

4.2. Qualitative Data

A synthesis of conducted interviews, distilled into four integrated thematic axes, bolsters the discussion by juxtaposing quantitative findings against residents’ insights and the extant literature. This triangulation aligns seamlessly with the study’s mixed-methods design, refining interpretations of Cruz Pampa–Yapatera’s eligibility for “Pueblos con Encanto” status, persistent structural gaps, and requisite intervention modes to cement its viability as a tourist destination—as detailed in

Table 5. Synthesis of Resident Responses and Triangulation Across Four Thematic Axes.

Thematic Axis	Resident’s Positive Responses	Resident’s Negative Responses
Living Heritage, Cultural Identity, and Eligibility	Pronounced Afro-Peruvian pride; high regard for cumananas, festivals, local history, and consensus that Cruz Pampa–Yapatera qualifies as a “Pueblos con Encanto.”	Acknowledgment of needed material and organizational enhancements to realize full potential.
Active Community Participation, Governance, and Coordination	Engagement in festivals, cultural promotion, schools, Casa de la Cultura, networks, and local advocates; strong willingness to contribute	Uneven participation, inadequate outreach, limited continuity, and reliance on select individuals.
Destination Welcoming Conditions (Infrastructure, Facilities, Services, and Tourist Experience)	Recognition of attractions (Casa de la Cultura, former sugar factory, gastronomy, local venues) and partial improvements in aesthetics/access.	Absence of formal lodging/restaurants, restricted accessibility, inconsistent ornamentation, intermittent services, health/safety constraints.
Monitoring, Formalization, and Sustainability Indicators	Partial records/targeted programs present; awareness of tourism management needs.	Low formalization, unsystematic tracking, budgetary opacity, minimal visitor/satisfaction monitoring.

.

Analysis and Interpretation

• Community Participation and Governance

Interviews reveal active resident involvement, notably in festivals, cultural outreach, and school-led or promoter-driven efforts via the Casa de la Cultura; yet participation proves uneven, unsystematized, and reliant on key figures. These patterns resonate with Rasoolimanesh et al. (2017), who stress that effective engagement demands motivation, opportunity, and capacity, alongside Bui et al. (2020) on community competencies for destination adaptation. They echo destination management and governance perspectives from Pérez-Castañeira et al. (2021), Hernández Marroquin et al. (2023), Infante Sánchez (2014), and Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo (2025c), underscoring the shift needed from cultural activism to operational roles in tourism management and local decision-making.

• Destination Readiness Conditions

The site’s chief shortfall stems not from scarce tourism resources but from inadequate welcoming infrastructure. Residents affirm attractive assets and spot improvements yet repeatedly cite deficits in lodging, formal eateries, access, aesthetics, service continuity, and health/safety provisions. This bolsters discourse on tourism facilities, linking to the literature on local development, competitiveness, and destination oversight, plus Song et al. (2025) on how spatial quality, signage, and flow management shape visitor experiences and sustainable patrimonial space use.

• Monitoring and Sustainability Metrics

There is concrete evidence of monitoring and formalization fragility, marked by sporadic records, budgetary opacity, and minimal systematic tracking of visitors or tourism operations. This validates integrating sustainability indicators encompassing community well-being (Santos-Júnior et al., 2020; Uysal et al., 2025), social impact perceptions at individual/community scales (Šegota et al., 2024), and destination carrying capacity. Aligning with Castillo Chung and Luján Johnson (2023), tourist carrying capacity (TCC) translates cultural promise into operational benchmarks for flow regulation and safeguarding Afro-Yapateran authenticity.

4.3. Triangulation Analysis

Figure 2 shows that Cruz Pampa–Yapatera’s core strength lies in its living heritage and Afro-Yapateran identity, widely embraced by residents as the foundation of territorial distinctiveness. This insight aligns with scholarship on intangible cultural heritage and tourism (Alberca-Sialer & Soto-Cáceda, 2022), heritage process frameworks (Santamarina Campos & Del Mármol, 2017), and local development in tourist-recognized territories (Pérez Ramírez & Antolín Espinos, 2016). According to Bui et al. (2020), the notion of adaptive heritage resilience further elucidates how the site’s tourism-cultural value rests on social bonds, collective memory, and communal practices—despite nascent infrastructure.

5. Discussion

The results of this study frame tourist destination development as an ongoing, relational process. Institutional recognition—such as inclusion in the Pueblos con Encanto program—interacts with but does not determine territorial consolidation. A moderate association appears between program criteria and destination attributes. Formal certification, while important, is insufficient for effective destination management or long-term sustainability (Pérez Ramírez & Antolín Espinos, 2016).

Sustainable tourism development depends on cultural value and its articulation with effective management. In Cruz Pampa–Yapatera, community participation is active but weakly institutionalized. This aligns with Rasoolimanesh et al. (2017), who argue that participation only becomes effective when combined with conditions of motivation, opportunity, and capacity. The low relationship between planning and management and intangible elements (r = 0.194) reveals a gap between cultural legitimacy and governance.

To address this gap, the community and its institutions require greater, more structured involvement in tourism processes. Community action must be embedded within a framework of coordination, monitoring, and tourism management. The qualitative theme Active Community Participation, Governance and Coordination captures this dynamic. It reflects local willingness, cultural networks, and community promoters, but it also reveals discontinuity, weak articulation, and dependence on individual initiatives. In this sense, the contributions of Jackson (2025), Pramono and Juliana (2025), Sebele (2010), and Turčinović et al. (2025) help corroborate that Cruz Pampa–Yapatera possesses a valuable, yet still informal, foundation for a coherent community-based tourism model. At the same time, the evidence underscores the practical limits of participation that must be transformed into effective territorial governance.

Intangible cultural heritage plays a central role in shaping identity and social legitimacy (Gobierno de México, 2020; Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo, 2025a). It reinforces distinctiveness and perceived authenticity, especially in rural and Afro-descendant settings (Alberca-Sialer & Soto-Cáceda, 2022). Residents maintain authenticity through festivals and identity-building, consistent with the community-based tourism literature (Jackson, 2025; Pramono & Juliana, 2025; Sebele, 2010). Yet cultural strength does not automatically translate into operational capacity. Cultural eligibility and operational readiness appear partially decoupled, as Han et al. (2023) and Liu et al. (2015) underscore within the triple-bottom-line framework.

Our findings also reveal marked structural constraints despite the region’s rich heritage. Infrastructure, accessibility, tourism services, and destination-management capacities remain underdeveloped. This duality can be interpreted through adaptive resilience in heritage: cultural assets may endure symbolically while material conditions lag (Bui et al., 2020). This resilience does not ensure consolidation as a mature tourism system. Weak infrastructure and fragmented management undermine visitor experience and environmental and social sustainability (Cerjak et al., 2026; Cruz Rocha et al., 2024).

A critical contribution of this study is the identification of an absent destination-information system. The lack of formal monitoring tools hampers evidence-based management. Visitor registers, satisfaction surveys, impact assessments, and carrying-capacity data are largely missing. This constrains the evaluation of tourism flows and social and environmental impacts (Castillo Chung & Luján Johnson, 2023). This gap helps explain the moderate strength of the observed quantitative relationships and underscores a key limitation of the Pueblos con Encanto program. The program does not require destinations to develop a tourism-information system capable of assessing carrying capacity and sustainability indicators (Caro-Carretero & Monroy-Rodríguez, 2025). The program’s conceptual pillars—coordinating, integrative-participatory, territorial, and differentiating—support participatory governance in theory (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo, 2023), yet recognition often enhances image and visibility without commensurate investment (Al Anshori & Dzulkifli, 2025; Yapici et al., 2026).

Theoretically, the study refines the link between heritage-based rural tourism and sustainability. Cultural legitimacy and adaptive resilience do not automatically produce structurally viable systems. It elaborates the role of monitoring and information systems as essential, yet it is missing components of territorial recognition programs (Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo, 2023). The study extends sustainability discourse from broad normative frameworks to concrete governance tools. It also nuances community-based tourism by showing that participation can be strong at the cultural level but weak at the institutional level. Governance designs must formally integrate community voice into decision-making (Heyik et al., 2024; Jiang et al., 2023) to prevent participation from remaining an auxiliary resource. These insights offer a novel theoretical contribution to the existing literature.

The single-case, perception-based, cross-sectional design limits generalizability and the ability to trace temporal change. Future research should compare multiple Pueblos con Encanto destinations, incorporate visitor perspectives, and adopt longitudinal designs. Analytical models that integrate governance, infrastructure, and sustainability variables would strengthen the empirical and theoretical foundations of heritage-based rural-tourism policies. For Cruz Pampa–Yapatera, sustainable tourism will depend less on symbolic recognition and more on the deliberate integration of heritage-based tourism into broader territorial development. This integration requires monitoring, institutionalized community participation, and targeted investments to support long-term environmental, social, and economic sustainability (Caro-Carretero & Monroy-Rodríguez, 2025; Cerjak et al., 2026; Cruz Rocha et al., 2024; Soto De Anda & Arzate Salgado, 2025).

6. Conclusions

Cruz Pampa–Yapatera emerges as a viable candidate for inclusion in the Pueblos con Encanto program. However, its consolidation requires technical support and resource allocation backed by public-policy reforms that go beyond symbolic recognition.

In emerging villages positioned as cultural tourism destinations, the authenticity of living heritage may take precedence over infrastructure. At the same time, Cruz Pampa–Yapatera still faces multiple gaps, the most salient being the need for systematic data-measurement tools and progressively managed destination planning under a participative approach. Such an approach should prioritize the analysis and improvement of carrying capacity. It should also strengthen the institutionalization of governance and the phased implementation of interventions with dedicated resources and technical assistance.

Local residents and their representatives demonstrate, through the results, a clear commitment to sustainability. This indicates a demand for strategic accompaniment to translate commitment into concrete, sustainable practices that support village development.