Creative tourism based on ceramic crafts, which contributes to the meaningful learning of children in the municipality of Ráquira, Boyacá

The tourist practices that take place in the municipality of Ráquira, Boyacá, Colombia, treat crafts solely as a resource for economic consumption and do not provide tourists—particularly children—the opportunity to interact with and participate in the cultural experience of handicrafts. Tour operators do not consider children as travelers but only as companions, thereby losing the opportunity to develop tourism products that promote learning and cultural appreciation among them. Taking the above into account, the methodology applied was mixed, that is, quantitative (data collection through surveys) and qualitative (narrative method, qualities, and characteristics). Among the objectives was the characterization of the artisanal ceramic manufacturing process in the municipality of Ráquira. The study also sought to understand parents’ perceptions regarding the participation of children in a creative tourism proposal based on handicrafts in Ráquira. Finally, a protocol was designed for the elaboration of a creative clay handicraft aimed at children from the San Miguel Arcángel School (Mosquera, Cundinamarca), based on the artisanal tradition of Ráquira, Boyacá. Tourism can therefore be considered a strategy or instrument for meaningful learning among school-age children through artisanal clay work carried out in the municipality of Ráquira. Likewise, it generates early awareness of the importance of national cultural expressions and the role of tourism in their recreation, conservation, and dissemination.