Tourism challenges: a case study in Carolina-MA, Parque Nacional da Chapada das Mesas, Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Oliveira, Jônnata Fernandes de
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Silva Coelho, Leonardo Oliveira da, Nascimento, Louize, Fernandes, Rogerio Taygra Vasconcelos
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Geotemas
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.apps.uern.br/index.php/GEOTemas/article/view/4666
• topic: Atendimento ao turista; Infraestrutura turística; Poder público municipal; Tourist assistance; Tourism infrastructure; Municipal government; Servicio turístico; Infraestructura turística; Gobierno municipal

The city of Carolina, located in the Chapada das Mesas National Park in Maranhão, Brazil, has been included in the Brazilian tourism map by the Ministry of the Environment. However, with the increase in tourism, several problems have arisen that can hinder the development of this activity in the region, such as a reduced number of hotels and inns, insufficient information about the main tourist attractions, lack of specialized services, and information about where visitors can find food. In the face of the difficulties encountered by the city in developing tourism, the question arises: what are the main factors that hinder its tourism development? This research aims to identify the obstacles to the development of tourism in the city, by applying questionnaires in 70 households in 2018. Data was tabulated and graphs were generated using Microsoft Excel 2010. After analyzing data and information from specialized literature, it was concluded that it is possible to seek measures to mitigate the negative impacts on local tourism activities. Consequently, such measures could promote the development not only of the tourism sector but also of other sectors that drive the local economy. These sectors, such as transportation, small markets, restaurants, diners, and bars, are well-articulated and can foster tourism activities. The results of this research signal viable paths for the development of the tourism sector, which can be appropriated by the public authorities and other interested actors in developing the economy of the city, serving as a model for other cities.