Potencialidades turísticas do Vale das Espinharas - Paraíba

Abstract

The growing importance of tourism in regional development studies, particularly with regard to alternative local economic activities and the creation of a sense of belonging in small towns in the interior of Brazil, motivated this study to inventory the tourism potential in the interior of Paraíba. This study, supported by new tourism approaches that advocate responsible tourism based on sustainable principles, also advocates the incorporation of previously overlooked locations through their internalization and the valorization of local specificities over conventional sun-and-beach tourism. Located between the Borborema Plateau and the Sertão da Paraíba, the Espinharas Valley is a unique polygon in Brazilian geography, geology, culture, and history. Its characteristics have been preserved by political and historical factors that diverted the engine of progress to surrounding regions, ensuring the region's cultural and environmental integrity. Given the above, this study conducted the first surveys to assess local tourism potential, aiming at regional development. The study was conducted in the three municipalities that comprise the perimeter: Salgadinho, Areia de Baraúnas, and Passagem, all in the state of Paraíba. Despite their low human development index, they boast outstanding routes, attractions, and tourist attractions. We analyzed the infrastructure, hotel potential, and development policies, establishing current conditions and proposing actions that could contribute to regional development based on bibliometric and ethnographic studies.