Education and compliance in the process of sworn declaration for tourists: Key regulations

Abstract

This article analyzes how education influences the compliance with the sworn declaration process by tourists in Ecuador. The main objective is to evaluate the level of tourists' knowledge about key regulations and how this affects their adherence to migratory and customs regulations. Mixed methods were used, including the analysis of rulings and administrative resolutions, the application of surveys to international tourists, and semi-structured interviews with migration officials and experts in criminal and customs law. These methods provided a comprehensive perspective on the challenges and opportunities in implementing the sworn declaration process. The results revealed that lack of knowledge about the regulations is the main cause of violations, affecting most of the surveyed tourists. The imposed sanctions, although generally proportional, highlight the need for preventive educational guidance to reduce minor infractions and improve the tourist experience. The implementation of educational strategies, such as informational campaigns and the improvement of customs staff training, is proposed as key to strengthening tourists' compliance with the regulations. Furthermore, the study suggests adjusting sanctions to ensure proportionality and prevent excesses in cases of unintentional errors.