Fourth International Conference on Tourism and Leisure Studies

Abstract

In Brazil, since the 1980s, cooperatives and associations of rural producers began to combine non-agricultural activities with economic space. The concept of rural, by degrees, ceased to be only what was not urban and was modified by the growth of these activities. These include rural tourism, which was associated with the idea of a quality of life and leisure space for the urban population. In Rio Grande do Sul, rural tourism, since the 1990s, has played an important role for the state economy in non-agricultural spaces and linked to agrotourism and ecotourism. This study, therefore, analyzes the socioeconomic importance of rural tourism for local development in the Vale do Rio dos Sinos (Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil). The Vale do Rio dos Sinos is formed by fourteen municipalities and is inserted in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre (MRPA). Although it belongs to the main economic pole of the state, this region presents a profound socioeconomic inequality among its municipalities. Thus, it is understood that it is plausible, based on development strategies articulated by local political, economic, and social actors, to promote socioeconomic development in the regional and local spheres, especially in smaller municipalities. The research, therefore, is justified by the socioeconomic relevance that rural tourism can generate for local development and for the families involved in this economic activity, allowing new opportunities for less-developed places and appreciation of the local culture.