Tourism and local development: an analysis based on socio-economic indicators in the municipality of Iguaí, Bahia

Abstract

Tourism is an economic activity with the potential to drive different segments of the economy and cause socio-spatial changes. Ecotourism is a specific type of tourism that focuses on sustainability, respect and conservation of a society's natural, material, and immaterial heritage, and the promotion of environmental education. Tourism is a reality that is beginning to cause developments and transformations in Iguaí, Bahia, due to the significant number of attributes that the municipality has, such as springs, waterfalls, rivers, and streams. The general objective of this article is, therefore, to analyze this scenario based on socioeconomic indicators and to consider local development policies through tourism. The research is theoretical-empirical, exploratory in nature, and uses literature review, documentary analysis, and observation to achieve its objective. The results show that the socioeconomic indicators of Iguaí are below the average for the Mid-Southwest identity territory, as well as the state and national averages. Given this, ecotourism emerges as the most viable and coherent modality for local development, since it aligns economic activity with respect for and conservation of the environment. To this end, the municipality needs a development project that considers (eco)tourism a vector for transforming the local reality.