Entre areias e tijolos: o crescimento dos empreendimentos turísticos no entorno do Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses

Abstract

The main objective of the present study is to verify if the tourist activity has acted as a vector of urban growth in the municipality of Barreirinhas with a focus on the means of hosting implemented after the creation of the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. Thus, it was necessary to analyze the occupation process of the coastal areas in the main Northeastern large cities and compare it with the singularities found in the Maranhão coast, which are associated with the existence of preserved areas and the predominance of traditional economic activities, especially fishing. The cities of São Luís and Barreirinhas can be considered as exception points on the Maranhão coast and stand out in the tourist activity, therefore, in order to understand the development of this sector in the northeast region, we have analyzed the public policies promoted by the Tourism Development Program in the Northeast (PRODETUR) in Maranhão. Public investments in the municipality of Barreirinhas promoted the necessary infrastructure for the arrival of new real estate developments that were concentrated in the town and soon spread to villages located by the sea and along the Preguiças River. The research details the geography of the place, providing information about the municipality of Barreirinhas with emphasis on the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, and finally, addresses the real estate growth and relates it to the tourist activity in Barreirinhas in an attempt to elucidate whether this symbiosis is beneficial or harmful to the local residents. The methodological procedures used were bibliographic research, field research, photographic records, application of interviews and the elaboration of cartographic products. The study presents as main results the disrespect for environmental legislation and a scenario of concentration of means of accommodation on the banks of the Preguiças River, in relation to socioeconomic aspects, informality is perceived as the main employment relationship and low social indicators indicate a high concentration income, which suggests that the tourist activity did not provide environmental, economic and social benefits for local residents.