Stakeholders and Tourism Management: A proposal based on the idea of the Relational State in Ecuador

Abstract

This study presents a critical literature review focused on the capabilities and role of stakeholders in the sustainable management of tourism operators in Ecuador, incorporating the theoretical-political science concept of the Relational State. To this end, a cross-sectional review of literature indexed in Scopus and Web of Science was conducted to identify its relevance. Freeman's theory of stakeholders, the Global Reporting Initiative's guidelines on sustainability reporting, and recent studies on sustainable tourism, water governance, Corporate Social Responsibility, and destination resilience were used. Finally, a critical synthesis is presented, contrasting conceptual and empirical approaches and integrating findings with the concept of the Relational State to propose a framework applicable to the Ecuadorian context. The advantages of the stakeholder concept were identified in conjunction with the notion of a more participatory State in its public policy agenda, which offers significant benefits for sustainability, social responsibility, and capacity building. The hypothesis, evaluated through a comparative critical analysis of the sources, demonstrates an integrative approach to the concept of a sustainable development model, confirming a positive relationship between the variables.