Community-Based Tourism in Sergipe: Lessons from the Tainha Project in Ponta dos Mangues, Pacatuba

Introduction: This study sought to reflect on the opportunities and challenges for the development of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) in the village of Ponta dos Mangues, Pacatuba, Sergipe, motivated by a project aimed at raising awareness and training the community for CBT. A diagnosis was conducted based on direct observation and semi-structured interviews with two groups of residents, both project participants and non-participants, including a survey of attractions, infrastructure, social organization, and aspects of tourism and CBT. Opportunities were provided by the project itself, the few external entrepreneurs in the community, and the provision of some tourism services by residents to meet current demand. The main challenges were related to the fragility of social organization, infrastructure, tourism facilities and services, inconsistent visitation, and lack of knowledge about CBT, as well as a lack of specific public policies. Objective: To reflect on opportunities and challenges for the development of community-based tourism in the community of Ponta dos Mangues, in Pacatuba, Sergipe, based on a diagnosis with a survey of attractions, infrastructure, social organization and residents' perceptions about tourism and TBC. Theoretical Framework: The paper contextualizes how global ideas about sustainability and development have impacted Brazilian public policies, including tourism policies, particularly in the Northeast region, where, despite some progress, adequate development conditions have not been achieved for all in tourism areas. The groups that benefit most are those who hold the capital, while most residents are marginalized and unable to enjoy the opportunities tourism offers. TBC is presented as an alternative for communities to strengthen their territories through fairer and more sustainable tourism. The paper also discusses the principles governing this approach to tourism and the main challenges faced by groups adopting TBC. Method: Qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research, with a field study carried out between January and July of 2016. Data collection involved direct observation, recording in a field diary and semi-structured interviews with two groups of residents, participants and non-participants of the Project, where attractions, infrastructure, social organization and residents' perceptions of tourism and TBC were analyzed. Results and Discussion: The opportunities identified were the actions of the aforementioned Project, the existence of few external entrepreneurs in the Community, and the provision of some tourism services by residents to meet existing demand. The main challenges relate to the fragility of social organization, infrastructure, tourism facilities and services, inconsistent visitation, and lack of awareness about the TBC, as well as the lack of specific public policies. Research Implications: The results provide input for better targeting actions related to tourism development in Ponta dos Mangues, whether from the community, external agents, or public administration, considering that this region is of great tourist interest but also environmentally fragile. They provide elements to be compared with other experiences in Sergipe and Brazil to inform public policies in the sector, as well as representing the expansion of studies in Brazilian communities that have CBT initiatives. Originality/Value: The value lies in providing a contextualized analysis, which synthesizes the aspects studied, relating them to the opportunities and challenges for the development of TBC in the Village of Ponta dos Mangues, in addition to the historical record on TBC in Sergipe and Brazil.