TURISMO E MEIO AMBIENTE NO PARQUE ESTADUAL DA SERRA DE CALDAS NOVAS GO (PESCAN)

Abstract

The tourism market has been growing fast in Central Brazil. It has become an important economic activity in cities of the Goiás state, like Caldas Novas and Rio Quente. In these cities, there is an environmental conservation area, called Parque Estadual da Serra de Caldas Novas PESCAN, that holds one of the world most important hot water spring. In this research, it was studied the sustainability of the tourism activity in the PESCAN and its surrounded area, by informetric, qualitative and quantitative methods. Questionnaires were applied to the owner of farms that surround the area of the Park and to the visitors of the Park. An inventory survey was also conducted in the PESCAN. The Park and its neighborhood have potential to the development of tourism typologies like natural tourism, rural tourism, adventure tourism, and ecotourism. These typologies have been growing around the world. No farm offers tourism activities however, some farms are improving their facilities in order to receive tourist. It was also verified that visitors of the PESCAN are in agreement with the natural tourists profile. In the visitors conception the park is well maintained and offers good services however, they made some suggestions to improve the tourism activities and park conservation as well. The tourism typology offered by PESCAN is close to ecotourism but there is no environmental education practice. Thus the tourism activity is not sustainable in its totality. Finally, it was made several suggestions in order to improve the natural tourism in the Park and to guarantee the practical of sustainable activities for the best use of the conservation area.