National Parks, tourism and governance: Reflections on tourism concessions in Brazil

Abstract

The concession of tourist services in National Parks, based on public-private partnerships, is the primary mechanism for public use management of this category of conservation unit in Brazil. This model's option is justified by its sustainability potential, capable of converging conservationist and economic interests. This ability has been questioned, mainly regarding the possibilities of local communities' participation in management, an essential aspect of the proposal, aiming to be a governance benchmark. Through a bibliographic review, we reflect on how participatory processes are configured in the scope of the implementation and management of these concessions. The analyses revealed the prevalence of economic rationality in decision-making and great difficulties in considering socio-cultural values in management, including the resolution of land and social conflicts that occurred with the implementation of the parks themselves. Social participation is conceived in rhetorical terms or subordinately. Historical exclusion patterns are perpetuated under eco or sustainable qualifications under strong appeal to ecotourism but without real connections with the proposal. In this context, it is paramount to pay attention to the adoption of public policies effectively guided by a sense of ecotourism capable of promoting the integration of tourism with socio-cultural diversity, nature conservation, and opportunities for local governance development.