Turismo rural y desarrollo comunitario: Lineamientos de trabajo para el grupo de turismo rural “la cooperaria”, colonia instrucciones del año XIII, Cololó - Soriano

This final degree project analyzes the formation and development process of the Rural Tourism Group La Cooperaria, an initiative led by women in the Colonia Instrucciones del Año XIII, located in Cololó, Soriano, Uruguay. The group emerged with the goal of generating income and promoting the economic autonomy of its members through community-based rural tourism, in a context where employment opportunities for women are limited and rural labor is heavily masculinized.

The general objective of this work is to understand the functioning of the Rural Tourism Group La Cooperaria (G.T.R.L.C.) in order to contribute guidelines for the development of an economic autonomy project managed by a group of women in the Colonia Instrucciones del Año XIII.

To achieve this, a qualitative research approach was used, based on the systematization of the group process, the analysis of internal dynamics, and the identification of opportunities for strengthening the initiative. Key aspects reviewed include internal organization, inter-cooperation with other local groups, the relationship with the Cooperative Unit No. 1, and the sustainability of the tourism project.

The findings show that, while rural tourism has proven to be a viable alternative for employment generation and for valuing women's work, the group faces challenges in terms of internal functioning and the consolidation of its tourism services. The importance of organizational strengthening strategies and training is emphasized, along with the need for greater institutional recognition and support from public policies that promote community-based rural tourism with a gender perspective.

Based on these findings, the project proposes a series of action guidelines aimed at improving the group’s functioning, strengthening its community integration, and ensuring its long-term sustainability. The experience of the Rural Tourism Group La Cooperaria stands as a relevant case within rural cooperativism in Uruguay and as a reference for other rural tourism initiatives led by women in the region.