Case Study: Rural Tourism in Antilla for Local Development

Lisbet Eunice Pérez Anzardo (Associate Professor, University of Holguín “Oscar Lucero Moya”, Holguín, Cuba)
Frank Antonio González Aguilera (Instructor Professor, University of Holguín “Oscar Lucero Moya”, Holguín, Cuba)
Rosa Isidora Palao Fuentes (Associate Professor, University of Holguín “Oscar Lucero Moya”, Holguín, Cuba)
Olga Lidia Ortiz Pérez (Full Professor, University of Holguín “Oscar Lucero Moya”, Holguín, Cuba)

Economit Journal
Vol 5 No 4 (2025): Scientific Journal of Accountancy, Management and Finance: (November)

Rural tourism is a strategic for preserving local identity and revitalizing agricultural economies. The municipality of Antilla, in Holguín, Cuba, was selected as a case study due to its underutilized agro-productive and cultural resources and reliance on the traditional sun-and-beach modality. This research aimed to design the Rural Paradise Route by integrating endogenous resources to foster local development and provide a replicable model for Cuban rural destinations. The methodological procedure of Pérez & Cardet (2022) was applied, complemented by theoretical methods (historical-logical, analytical-synthetic, inductive-deductive) and empirical techniques such as documentary review and unstructured interviews with state and non-state tourism actors. Results show that Antilla possesses significant but underexploited potential, whose articulation into a rural tourism product can diversify the destination’s portfolio and strengthen community identity. Validated by specialists as viable and innovative, it demonstrates how participatory methodologies can integrate agro-productive and cultural value chains, offering practical implications for diversifying tourism.