Natal como destino turístico : um estudo das imagens (re)veladas pela mídia, pelos turistas e suas implicações educacionais e culturais

This thesis is a result of a research on Natal/RN as a tourist destination. We understand that cities are chosen as tourist destinations beyond its cartographic localization, from other dimensions of meanings that, in its set, constitute images. These images are, probably, very different of the images constructed by native and resident populations, who possess relations of identity with the place. The knowledge of the meanings that others attribute to this city as tourist destination, bring us near to the symbolic bonds established by individuals or social groups on the act of their choices, as well as bring us near to the interaction process city-tourists where the expectations are confirmed or not. The images divulgated by the media also participate of the complex formation of the tourist image that is being constructed and available for the different public, in different social contexts. The tourism constitutes a symbolic asset of the modern society, being considered by the studious, as one of the most expressive phenomena of the modernity, for involving each year displacement and the interaction of thousand of people of different cultures in the entire world. All this people s mobilization points to practical social related to personal motivations, to the entailed desired to the idea to travel and to exceed borders. It is already consensus that tourism is a phenomenon of economic growth, generating jobs, income, professional, qualification, bringing improvements for the host cities. Since 1995, in Brazil, the tourism as a sector of the economy, passed to be considered one of the national priorities, and in this perspective, the national politics of the tourism invested in infrastructure of Brazilian cities with high tourist potential, objecting to increase the flows of Brazilian and foreign tourists. Owing to this fact, the country still invests in programs of tourist marketing, mainly divulging the images of the natural beauties of Brazil abroad. And for Brazilians, the campaigns appeal to rescue the feeling to be Brazilian, associating the idea to travel and know its country. Natal city possesses an excellent positioning in the tourist marketing, being predominantly divulgated in national and international level, for its naturalistic singularity, where the images of its natural enchantments as warm water beaches, white dunes, warm weather, constant breeze and an always blue sky are shown as the favorite scene on this city. From what was viewed above that the choice of a tourist destination articulates from a determined imaginary of a place, already constructed or in process of construction, we consider the knowledge of this imaginary a basic learning for the population of the city and especially, for educators, in the formation of professionals in this area and for tourism managers, elaborators of public politics. Based on this estimative, we developed this research that had as a general objective to identify the images that illustrate Natal city as a tourist destination - our objective of study, particularly the meanings and senses attributed by the tourist marketing (hotel s folders) and by the tourists that visited the city during this study. The discussions and reflections that had guided this research had been given from the theoretical link between imaginary and social representation, also considering some interfaces between the fields of communication and symbol. From the studied authors, Baczko (1985) clarifies that the study of social imaginary is directed for the mechanisms and structures of the social life, especially for the intervention accomplishes and efficient of the representations and symbols in the practical collectives, as well as in its direction and orientation . Following this same thought, Moscovici (1978) says that the social representation are produced in communicational and symbolic contexts, and these representations once that already constituted circulate socially as almost tangible entities. Based on this fundament and on the analyze of Barthes (1990), particularly in the approach given to the reading of photographic image, we could observe on hotel s folders that each page evidences senses and meanings of functionality of internal and external spaces, pointing to the way of leisure offered by the keepers of city which is the hotels. About, the leisure that they offer, it is directed to young public, giving meaning to the young myth of personalized leisure tourism on children, young and adults images. The image about security that hotels offer and the singular image of Natal city as a paradise place, provide an idealization of pleasure through the sun, dunes, and beaches and also due to the hospitability of the natives who are assigned as educated . For the tourist that participated on this research, Natal city is tied only by the imaginary of leisure and nature which constitute the emotional link of the relation media-city-tourist. And with such force and fullness of directions the city discloses without tensions and contradictions as a place protected by a mythical and sacred aura. The study also demonstrates us that the potiguar culture remains (almost) forgotten, due to the silenced in this imaginary. In this perspective, we highlight that this culture silence is very close related to the disvalue of education in its general meaning. We defend that the imaginary apprehended constitutes a new reading and a new looking and understanding the tourist reality that comes historically consolidating in this city. In this direction, we glimpse that this study and its future dismemberments can collaborate with the process of rescue the cultural values of the potiguar people, in the way that the meaning of tourist may be redefined, and the tourist image of the city can be also disclosed for its identities particularities of its culture

Posicionamento estratégico de destinos: uma análise através da percepção dos operadores de Turismo da cidade de São Paulo sobre o destino Natal, Brasil

El turismo constituye una actividad propulsora de mejorías económicas y sociales en incontables lugares alrededor del mundo, y la ciudad de Natal se posiciona como uno de los principales destinos turísticos del Nordeste brasileño. De ese modo, el objetivo del presente estudio consistió en analizar el posicionamiento estratégico del destino Natal por medio de la percepción de los operadores de turismo de la ciudad de São Paulo, principal mercado emisor de turistas del país. El estudio de carácter descriptivo-exploratorio utilizó un abordaje cualitativo y tuvo, como universo de investigación, operadoras de turismo de la capital paulista que comercializan el destino Natal. En la colecta de datos, se utilizaron la investigación bibliográfica y el estudio de campo, siendo este último efetivado por medio de un guión de entrevista semiestruturado. Ya la técnica utilizada para el análisis de los datos fue el análisis de contenido, iniciada mediante selección del material recolectado y concluida con el proceso de categorización. Cuanto a los resultados del estudio, se percibió que el paulistano que viaja al destino Natal tiene un perfil demográfico que sugiere a la práctica del turismo sustentable, está a la busca del turismo de sol y playa, y valora las bellezas naturales del lugar. Los operadores de turismo entrevistados evaluaron, positivamente, la ciudad de Natal, y destacaron los siguientes atributos del destino: playas, bellezas naturales, hostelería, receptividad de los autóctonas, gastronomía, de entre otros. Además, los respondentes demostraron tener un fuerte encariño al destino. En lo que se refiere a los aspectos negativos, prevaleció la observancia de la ineficacia de los gobiernos locales, donde el deterioro de la malla aérea y la incipiente promoción del destino fueron apuntados como los dos principales gargalos. Al analizar la competencia, se identificó que Fortaleza, Porto de Galinhas y Maceió son los tres principales concurrentes de Natal, siendo el destino pernambucano lo que presenta mejor evaluación. Por fin, se observó que no existe una diferenciación relevante en el destino Natal.

Relação entre ciclo de vida do produto turístico e estratégias de cooperação na faixa litorânea urbana do município de Natal

Tourism in the Northeast of Brazil was introduced as an alternative economic development for the Region by federal promoting policies that focused primarily in structuring the local geographic area. With the completion of these structuring actions, mass tourism expanding the area, as well as spread actions based on cooperation and formalization of governance institutions. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the life cycle of the tourism product 'Coastal Cities of Natal and the cooperation strategies in a historical perspective. Thus was submitted to the life cycle of the tourism product 'Coastal Cities of Natal ; the major projects of tourism development were mapped, the existing cooperation strategies were characterized, and investigated the influence of the cooperation actions for the current stage of product. The specific theoretical support to tourism was built on the perspective of the Theory of Population Ecology, System of Tourism and Touristic Product Life Cycle. Regarding to cooperation the theoretical foundation addressed issues of strategy, New Forms and Collective Efficiency. The survey consisted of a causal descriptive study, using a case study. We used the qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches, and data collected by consulting of secondary data and semistructured interviews with twelve staff working in tourism in Natal. Results showed that the life cycle graph of product 'Coastal Cities of Natal is moving from one stage of growth to a stage of maturity, with a primary upward trend and with crises that are up over the graph. They have been mapped six of tourism development projects of relevance to the product: The Politics of Mega Projects, PRODETUR/NE, Municipalization National Program of Tourism, Regionalization Program, Urbanization Project Beach do Meio and Actions for the Promotion of Destiny. They have been identified sixty-four participating players in process of tourism development, which twenty were considered relevant to the respondents. The main strategies identified for cooperation were the consortium, collective strategy and clusters. Results indicated that co-operation strategies were adopted so that the benefits were obtained at the collective level, dedicated to the strengthening of Natal Destiny and its products. The main reasons were the need of cooperative marketing, international market entry and actions inducing the state. Finally, it was concluded that strategies for cooperation related to product life cycle 'Coastal Cities of Natal' as that work in the consolidation of projects for development of tourism, when the efficiency of collective action is achieved

O city marketing em Natal/RN e a construção da imagem da cidade

The growing importance of tourism in overall economic activity worldwide has favored the intensification of competition among cities that seek to create environments attractive to tourists and potential investors. It has been common practice to import characteristics of the business environment in the public management of cities. The city marketing is a key tool used by public leaders to promote a linkage between the tourism image and urban image and involves, in addition to promoting the image of the city, the planning of interventions in urban space, trying to formulate a positive image of the city able to facilitate the deployment of capital. This research seeks to understand the nature of city marketing as part of contemporary urban management and analyzes how is its application in decisions concerning the promotion of tourism in Natal/RN. The approach of this research is qualitative, exploratory and descriptive, in which respondents were the main leaders of two of the official tourism site, the Empresa Potiguar de Promoção Turística and the Secretaria Municipal de Turismo e Desenvolvimento Econômico. It was found that there is a strong articulation of public power with private enterprise in the design and conduct of the actions of urban marketing, that from the survey data show that the behavior of target markets provide guidelines for taking strategic decisions relating to tourism. Sun and sea are some key elements explored to form the image of Natal and to authorize the sale of the city as a tropical paradise. However, there is an increase in the diversification of tourism products, seeking to increase flow to the segments of ecotourism, adventure, business and culture. It s also growing the use of local culture as a tourism product, however, the cultural representation focuses on superficial values and does not bring to light the social and historical richness that the city has. Public authorities use the city marketing strategies as a means able to maximize the attractiveness of Natal urban space to investors, business groups and tourists. It can be observed that urban managers seek solutions that can continuously increase the tours, which often manifests in interventions that focus the tourist areas of the city, in oposition of those who do not contribute to a positive reading of the city, which ultimately generate the worsening of spacial and social inequalities

Fotografia e marketing: uma análise dos atrativos turísticos da cidade de João Pessoa-PB

Photography is a resourse of the most used and effective marketing, besides being an polysemic art, boundless sense; this allows for different readings. Nevertheless, there are those who, through the control and supervision, try to organize its meaning, such as the marketing companies. Others, such as artists, are the responsibility of the observers to give their work some understanding. Resorting a photographic iconography of the tourist attractions of the city of João Pessoa in Brazil from 2005 to 2010. This survey selected images published in catalogs supported by the Fundo de Incentivo a Cultura (FIC) and the Empresa Paraibana de Turismo (PBTUR). The central idea of this qualitative research is the assumption that, in general, tourists crave, even unconsciously, a reality of a tourist attraction motivated by photographic image conveyed the travel market, meanwhile, emphasizes that the art market, the same attraction is exposed and uncovered. Thus it is argued, by photos, such as environmental and sociocultural characteristics are commodified by these organs that have different purposes is not exclusive, given that the FIC supports art and PBTUR sponsors the tourism. Beyond the iconography used for cataloging and photographic analysis, interviews were conducted by the method of visual narratives in ordes to approximate the data with the view of tourists and photographers. In that resulted in a refletion on the current imagistic process involving the release of the tourist destinations in order to be allowed on a critical reading of photographic production and market resources to marketing and promoting the art of the city. It was observed that both the art and photography marketing acquire different symbolic values with respect to their markets promoted by the catalogs analyzed.

Relação entre ciclo de vida do produto turístico e estratégias de cooperação na faixa litorânea urbana do município de Natal

Tourism in the Northeast of Brazil was introduced as an alternative economic development for the Region by federal promoting policies that focused primarily in structuring the local geographic area. With the completion of these structuring actions, mass tourism expanding the area, as well as spread actions based on cooperation and formalization of governance institutions. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the life cycle of the tourism product 'Coastal Cities of Natal and the cooperation strategies in a historical perspective. Thus was submitted to the life cycle of the tourism product 'Coastal Cities of Natal ; the major projects of tourism development were mapped, the existing cooperation strategies were characterized, and investigated the influence of the cooperation actions for the current stage of product. The specific theoretical support to tourism was built on the perspective of the Theory of Population Ecology, System of Tourism and Touristic Product Life Cycle. Regarding to cooperation the theoretical foundation addressed issues of strategy, New Forms and Collective Efficiency. The survey consisted of a causal descriptive study, using a case study. We used the qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches, and data collected by consulting of secondary data and semistructured interviews with twelve staff working in tourism in Natal. Results showed that the life cycle graph of product 'Coastal Cities of Natal is moving from one stage of growth to a stage of maturity, with a primary upward trend and with crises that are up over the graph. They have been mapped six of tourism development projects of relevance to the product: The Politics of Mega Projects, PRODETUR/NE, Municipalization National Program of Tourism, Regionalization Program, Urbanization Project Beach do Meio and Actions for the Promotion of Destiny. They have been identified sixty-four participating players in process of tourism development, which twenty were considered relevant to the respondents. The main strategies identified for cooperation were the consortium, collective strategy and clusters. Results indicated that co-operation strategies were adopted so that the benefits were obtained at the collective level, dedicated to the strengthening of Natal Destiny and its products. The main reasons were the need of cooperative marketing, international market entry and actions inducing the state. Finally, it was concluded that strategies for cooperation related to product life cycle 'Coastal Cities of Natal' as that work in the consolidation of projects for development of tourism, when the efficiency of collective action is achieved

O city marketing em Natal/RN e a construção da imagem da cidade

The growing importance of tourism in overall economic activity worldwide has favored the intensification of competition among cities that seek to create environments attractive to tourists and potential investors. It has been common practice to import characteristics of the business environment in the public management of cities. The city marketing is a key tool used by public leaders to promote a linkage between the tourism image and urban image and involves, in addition to promoting the image of the city, the planning of interventions in urban space, trying to formulate a positive image of the city able to facilitate the deployment of capital. This research seeks to understand the nature of city marketing as part of contemporary urban management and analyzes how is its application in decisions concerning the promotion of tourism in Natal/RN. The approach of this research is qualitative, exploratory and descriptive, in which respondents were the main leaders of two of the official tourism site, the Empresa Potiguar de Promoção Turística and the Secretaria Municipal de Turismo e Desenvolvimento Econômico. It was found that there is a strong articulation of public power with private enterprise in the design and conduct of the actions of urban marketing, that from the survey data show that the behavior of target markets provide guidelines for taking strategic decisions relating to tourism. Sun and sea are some key elements explored to form the image of Natal and to authorize the sale of the city as a tropical paradise. However, there is an increase in the diversification of tourism products, seeking to increase flow to the segments of ecotourism, adventure, business and culture. It s also growing the use of local culture as a tourism product, however, the cultural representation focuses on superficial values and does not bring to light the social and historical richness that the city has. Public authorities use the city marketing strategies as a means able to maximize the attractiveness of Natal urban space to investors, business groups and tourists. It can be observed that urban managers seek solutions that can continuously increase the tours, which often manifests in interventions that focus the tourist areas of the city, in oposition of those who do not contribute to a positive reading of the city, which ultimately generate the worsening of spacial and social inequalities