The Rural Tourism is a new business segment in the region of Ribeirão Preto and Brazil. Its arising and expansion are related to the following factors: the rural farmers’ need of varying their income source, and the urban population’s need of escaping from stress, refinding their roots, and living together with nature, tradition, customs, and values of country populations.
Visiting rural properties is an old and common practice in Brazil. However, the economic exploitation of this activity, characterized as Rural Tourism, is a little bit more than 20 years long. The first initiatives related to Rural Tourism in Brazil were launched in the 1980s, in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states. At that time, some rural owners who were under pressure from difficulties of cattle breeding and agriculture decided to diversify their activities and found out the great economic potential of the Rural Tourism.
The development of the Rural Tourism in the region of Ribeirao Preto began 12 years ago. However, it does not present good results yet, for it faces many difficulties such as the lack of knowledge about the regional touristic potential, interest, organization, and investments. Many municipalities of the region has no touristic projects yet, either for lack of resources or for not recognize the development potential this activity can provide. People have forgotten tourism and have bet everything on agribusiness; maybe they have not perceived that both tourism and agribusiness are connected through the same umbilical cord: ground.
It is not difficult to verify the lack of jobs and their bad effects in society. According to economists, the industry sector is not more a good job creator, and trading cannot grow while the population’s buying power is low. Some people defend the solution to this crisis is to encourage entrepreneurship. New enterprises mean new jobs and extra income. In fact, the Rural Tourism appears as a viable economic alternative in this aspect. It attracts visitors who consume goods and services, developing economy, creating new business – specially small ones -- and new job opportunities. A detailed exam can point out other benefits of the Rural Tourism, as for example, environment preservation and sustainable development.
The region of Ribeirão Preto is naturally apt for rural activities. It has historic richness as well as a unique culture, which has resulted from the integration of different peoples. Will the implementation of a touristic activity set be an impossible dream in our rural medium? Will not this be a new way to encourage economic biodiversity? Maybe this is a good opportunity to encourage clean industry, and retrieve, and promote the interior community’s cultural and natural heritage.
Clique aqui para ler a versão deste artigo em português.
By Orlando Ribeiro and Aurelia Samaniego
domingo, 10 de maio de 2009
The Rural Tourism in the Region of Ribeirão Preto
The Rural Tourism is a new business segment in the region of Ribeirão Preto and Brazil. Its arising and expansion are related to the following factors: the rural farmers’ need of varying their income source, and the urban population’s need of escaping from stress, refinding their roots, and living together with nature, tradition, customs, and values of country populations.
Visiting rural properties is an old and common practice in Brazil. However, the economic exploitation of this activity, characterized as Rural Tourism, is a little bit more than 20 years long. The first initiatives related to Rural Tourism in Brazil were launched in the 1980s, in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states. At that time, some rural owners who were under pressure from difficulties of cattle breeding and agriculture decided to diversify their activities and found out the great economic potential of the Rural Tourism.
The development of the Rural Tourism in the region of Ribeirao Preto began 12 years ago. However, it does not present good results yet, for it faces many difficulties such as the lack of knowledge about the regional touristic potential, interest, organization, and investments. Many municipalities of the region has no touristic projects yet, either for lack of resources or for not recognize the development potential this activity can provide. People have forgotten tourism and have bet everything on agribusiness; maybe they have not perceived that both tourism and agribusiness are connected through the same umbilical cord: ground.
It is not difficult to verify the lack of jobs and their bad effects in society. According to economists, the industry sector is not more a good job creator, and trading cannot grow while the population’s buying power is low. Some people defend the solution to this crisis is to encourage entrepreneurship. New enterprises mean new jobs and extra income. In fact, the Rural Tourism appears as a viable economic alternative in this aspect. It attracts visitors who consume goods and services, developing economy, creating new business – specially small ones -- and new job opportunities. A detailed exam can point out other benefits of the Rural Tourism, as for example, environment preservation and sustainable development.
The region of Ribeirão Preto is naturally apt for rural activities. It has historic richness as well as a unique culture, which has resulted from the integration of different peoples. Will the implementation of a touristic activity set be an impossible dream in our rural medium? Will not this be a new way to encourage economic biodiversity? Maybe this is a good opportunity to encourage clean industry, and retrieve, and promote the interior community’s cultural and natural heritage.
Clique aqui para ler a versão deste artigo em português.
By Orlando Ribeiro and Aurelia Samaniego
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