Rural tourism on the south coast of Brazil: towards territorial development

Abstract

This study aimed to relate the rural tourism as a strategy for territorial development. The methodology is characterized as a case study, with evaluative exploratory descriptive research, with temporal cut between 2006 and 2014 in the Education Zone for the Ecodevelopment of the Microbasin in the Rio Sagrado (Paraná). The interpretation and data diagnosis are based on the qualitative/quantitative research and participant observation. It was concluded that the contradictions were accentuated in rural areas: first, rural tourism led to the preservation of livelihoods and biodiversity, other, few public policies are developed in rural areas focused on rural tourism toward the rural territorial development, which may jeopardize the continuity of this activity.