Tourist cruises in South America: new opportunities and challenges

More free time and disposable income not only in developed but also in emerging countries have generated a demand that shipping lines have capitalized on by offering ocean cruise services to an exponentially growing segment of the tourist industry. With the search for alternative destinations for ocean cruises, in recent years the Southern Cone countries of Latin America have been playing host to an encouraging number of passenger ships during the summer November-March season, suggesting that this sub-region could become a permanent feature of the circuit of international ocean cruises. To convert this into a reality, however, will require investment in port facilities and passenger terminals, thus presenting an opportunity for private participation in providing and running these facilities.

An assessment of the economic and social impacts of climate change on the tourism sector in the Caribbean

There are significant, fundamental changes taking place in global air and sea surface temperatures and sea levels. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change noted that many of the warmest years on the instrumental record of global surface temperatures have occurred within the last twelve years, i.e. 1995-2006 (IPCC, 2007). The Caribbean tourism product is particularly vulnerable to climate change. On the demand side, mitigation measures in other countries – for example, measures to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels – could have implications for airfares and cruise prices and, therefore, for the demand for travel, particularly to long-haul destinations such as the Caribbean (Clayton, 2009). On the supply side, sea level rise will cause beaches to disappear and damage coastal resorts. Changes in the frequency and severity of hurricanes are likely to magnify that damage. Other indirect impacts on the tourism product include rising insurance premiums and competition for water resources (Cashman, Cumberbatch, & Moore, 2012). The present report has used information on historic and future Caribbean climate data to calculate that the Caribbean tourism climatic index (TCI) ranges from −20 (impossible) to +100 (ideal). In addition to projections for the Caribbean, the report has produced TCI projections for the New York City area (specifically, Central Park), which have been used as comparators for Caribbean country projections. The conditions in the source market provide a benchmark against which visitors may judge their experience in the tourism destination. The historical and forecasted TCIs for the Caribbean under both the A2 and B2 climate scenarios of the IPCC suggest that climatic conditions in the Caribbean are expected to deteriorate, and are likely to become less conducive to tourism. More specifically, the greatest decline in the TCI is likely to occur during the northern hemisphere summer months from May to September. At the same time, the scenario analysis indicates that home conditions during the traditional tourist season (December – April) are likely to improve, which could make it more attractive for visitors from these markets to consider ‘staycations’ as an alternative to overseas trips.

An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the tourism sector in Montserrat

This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the likely effects of climate change on the tourism sector in Montserrat. Clayton (2009) identifies three reasons why the Caribbean should be concerned about the potential effects of climate change on tourism: (a) the relatively high dependence on tourism as a source of foreign exchange and employment; (b) the intrinsic vulnerability of small islands and their infrastructure (e.g. hotels and resorts) to sea level rise and extreme climatic events (e.g. hurricanes and floods); and, (c) the high dependence of the regional tourist industry on carbon-based fuels (both to bring tourist to the region as well as to provide support services in the region). The effects of climate change are already being felt on the island. Between 1970 and 2009, there was a rise in the number of relatively hot days experienced on the island. Added to this, there was also a decline in mean precipitation over the period. Besides temperature, there is also the threat of wind speeds. Since the early 20th century, the number of hurricanes passing through the Caribbean has risen from about 5-6 per year to more than 25 in some years of the twenty-first century. In Montserrat, the estimated damage from four windstorms (including hurricanes) affecting the island was US$260 million or almost five times 2009 gross domestic product (GDP). Climate change is also likely to significantly affect coral reefs. Hoegh-Guldberg (2007) estimates that should current concentrations of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere rise from 380ppm to 560ppm, decreases in coral calcification and growth by 40% are likely. The report attempted to quantify the likely effects of the changes in the climatic factors mentioned above. As it relates to temperature and other climatic variables, a tourism climatic index that captures the elements of climate that impact on a destination’s experience was constructed. The index was calculated using historical observations as well as those under two likely climate scenarios: A2 and B2. The results suggest that under both scenarios, the island’s key tourism climatic features will likely decline and therefore negatively impact on the destination experience of visitors. Including this tourism climatic index in a tourism demand model suggests that this would translate into losses of around 145% of GDP. As it relates to coral reefs, the value of the damage due to the loss of coral reefs was estimated at 7.6 times GDP, while the damage due to land loss for the tourism industry was 45% of GDP. The total cost of climate change for the tourism industry was therefore projected to be 9.6 times 2009 GDP over a 40-year horizon. Given the potential for significant damage to the industry, a large number of potential adaptation measures were considered. Out of these, a short-list of 9 potential options was selected using 10 evaluation criteria. These included: (a) Increasing recommended design wind speeds for new tourism-related structures; (b) Construction of water storage tanks; (c) Irrigation network that allows for the recycling of waste water; (d) Enhanced reef monitoring systems to provide early warning alerts of bleaching events; (e) Deployment of artificial reefs and fish-aggregating devices; (f) Developing national evacuation and rescue plans; (g) Introduction of alternative attractions; (h) Providing re-training for displaced tourism workers, and; (i) Revised policies related to financing national tourism offices to accommodate the new climatic realities Using cost-benefit analysis, three options were put forward as being financially viable and ready for immediate implementation: (a) Increase recommended design speeds for new tourism-related structures; (b) Enhance reef monitoring systems to provide early warning alerts of bleaching events, and; (c) Deploy artificial reefs or fish-aggregating devices. While these options had positive benefit cost ratios, other options were also recommended based on their non-tangible benefits: an irrigation network that allows for the recycling of waste water, development of national evacuation and rescue plans, providing retraining for displaced tourism workers and the revision of policies related to financing national tourism offices to accommodate the new climatic realities.

An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the tourism sector in Saint Lucia

This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the likely effects of climate change on the tourism sector in Saint Lucia. Clayton (2009) identifies three reasons why the Caribbean should be concerned about the potential effects of climate change on tourism: (a) the relatively high dependence on tourism as a source of foreign exchange and employment; (b) the intrinsic vulnerability of small islands and their infrastructure (e.g. hotels and resorts) to sea level rise and extreme climatic events (e.g. hurricanes and floods); and, (c) the high dependence of the regional tourist industry on carbon-based fuels (both to bring tourist to the region as well as to provide support services in the region). The effects of climate change are already being felt on the island. Between 1970 and 2009 there was a rise in the number of relatively hot days experienced on the island. Added to this, there was also a decline in mean precipitation over the period. In addition to temperature, there is also the threat of increased wind speeds. Since the early twentieth century, the number of hurricanes passing through the Caribbean has risen from about 5-6 per year to more than 25 in some years of the twenty-first century. In Saint Lucia, the estimated damage from 12 windstorms (including hurricanes) affecting the island was US$1 billion or about 106% of 2009 GDP. Climate change is also likely to significantly affect coral reefs. Hoegh-Guldberg (2007) estimates that should current concentrations of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere rise from 380ppm to 560ppm, decreases in coral calcification and growth by 40% are likely. This report attempted to quantify the likely effects of the changes in the climatic factors mentioned above on the economy of Saint Lucia. As it relates to temperature and other climatic variables, a tourism climatic index that captures the elements of climate that impact on a destination’s experience was constructed. The index was calculated using historical observations, as well as those under two, likely, Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) climate scenarios: A2 and B2.

Tourism life cycle, tourism competitiveness and upgrading strategies in the Caribbean

In the 1980s Butler adapted the life cycle product model to the tourism industry and created the “Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model”. The model recognizes six stages in the tourism product life cycle: exploration, investment, development, consolidation, stagnation and followed, after stagnation, by decline or revitalization of the product. These six stages can in turn be regrouped into four main stages. The Butler model has been applied to more than 30 country cases with a wide degree of success. De Albuquerque and Mc Elroy (1992) applied the TALC model to 23 small Caribbean island States in the 1990s. Following De Albuquerque and Mc Elroy, the TALC is applied to the 32 member countries of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) (except for Cancun and Cozumel) to locate their positions along their tourism life-cycle in 2007. This is done using the following indicators: the evolution of the level, market share and growth rate of stay-over arrivals; the growth rate and market share of visitor expenditures per arrival and the tourism styles of the destinations, differentiating between ongoing mass tourism and niche marketing strategies and among upscale, mid-scale and low-scale destinations. Countries have pursued three broad classes of strategies over the last 15 years in order to move upward in their tourism life cycle and enhance their tourism competitiveness. There is first a strategy that continues to rely on mass-tourism to build on the comparative advantages of “sun, sand and sea”, scale economies, all-inclusive packages and large amounts of investment to move along in Stage 2 or Stage 3 (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico). There is a second strategy pursued mainly by very small islands that relies on developing specific niche markets to maintain tourism competitiveness through upgrading (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos), allowing them to move from Stage 2 to Stage 3 or Stage 3 to a rejuvenation stage. There is a third strategy that uses a mix of mass-tourism, niche marketing and quality upgrading either to emerge onto the intermediate stage (Trinidad and Tobago); avoid decline (Aruba, The Bahamas) or rejuvenate (Barbados, Jamaica and the United States Virgin Islands). There have been many success stories in Caribbean tourism competitiveness and further research should aim at empirically testing the determinants of tourism competitiveness for the region as a whole.

Towards a demand model for maritime passenger transportation in the Caribbean: a regional study of passenger ferry services

In this paper, the main factors that influence the demand for maritime passenger transportation in the Caribbean were studied. While maritime studies in the Caribbean have focused on infrastructural and operational systems for intensifying trade and movement of goods, there is little information on the movement of persons within the region and its potential to encourage further integration and sustainable development. Data to inform studies and policies in this area are particularly difficult to source. For this study, an unbalanced data set for the 2000-2014 period in 15 destinations with a focus on departing ferry passengers was compiled. Further a demand equation for maritime passenger transportation in the Caribbean using panel data methods was estimated. The results showed that this demand is related to the real fare of the service, international economic activity and the number of passengers arriving in the country by air.

Estudo comparativo da evolução da legislação internacional e brasileira sobre repositórios geológicos de rejeitos radioativos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

O Brasil na historiografia inglesa dos anos joaninos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Salvação e Juízo Final na Alta Idade Média hispânica: o Comentário ao Apocalipse do Beato de Liébana

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Vozes dissonantes: estado, discurso e conflito no Oeste do Pará

A área de influência da rodovia Santarém-Cuiabá, na Amazônia brasileira, desde a década de 1970 vem sofrendo um processo de ocupação desordenada e avanço ilegal sobre os estoques naturais da região. Neste século, setores econômicos ligados à agricultura, pecuária e madeira passaram a fazer pressão sobre o governo federal para que fosse asfaltada grande parte da rodovia, o que permitiria novos fluxos econômicos e acesso mais lucrativo da produção ao mercado, inclusive o internacional. A essas pressões somaram-se outros problemas: crescente desmatamento, intensos conflitos fundiários, práticas econômicas ilegais, ineficácia do Estado. Diante desse quadro, o governo federal elaborou o Plano BR-163 Sustentável, entre 2004 e 2005, como experiência piloto de uma política de desenvolvimento da região, consolidada no Plano Amazônia Sustentável. Entre os objetivos daquele Plano, encontram-se o desenvolvimento sustentável, a redução das desigualdades sociais e um novo modelo de gestão democrática e integrada de políticas públicas. A pesquisa busca compreender, a partir do oeste do Estado do Pará, de que modo se inter-relacionam as dinâmicas de atores sociais importantes, após as primeiras medidas decorrentes do Plano. Os atores inseridos na pesquisa foram representações ligadas ao Estado, nos três níveis de gestão, madeireiros, fazendeiros e trabalhadores rurais. A análise parte dos discursos desses atores para avaliar se o governo federal conseguiu institucionalizar os conflitos e obter reconhecimento político externo. Os resultados obtidos confirmam a hipótese de que as condições para o sucesso das medidas ainda não estão dadas, em função de problemas estruturais do Estado, da falta de coesão política em torno dos objetivos do Plano, entre as próprias instituições federais, e também da ausência de novos mecanismos institucionais de gestão que apontem para a mediação dos conflitos e indiquem adesão às novas medidas. O débil capital político do governo federal, no campo de acirradas disputas, ainda constitui empecilho à redução das graves desigualdades sociais e ao retorno à legalidade, que deve se impor não apenas pela força das leis, mas, principalmente, pela legitimidade de novas dinâmicas e do próprio Estado.

Para uma avaliação da Política Estadual de Turismo do Ceará: a SETUR e suas ações na transformação da realidade socioespacial dos destinos indutores do Ceará

Pós-graduação em Geografia - IGCE

Caracterização dos resíduos cauliníticos das indústrias de mineração de caulim da Amazônia como matéria-prima para produção de pozolanas de alta reatividade

As regiões do Rio Capim e do Rio Jari são os principais distritos caulinitícos da Região Amazônica, detentores das maiores reservas brasileiras de caulim de alta qualidade para aplicações como cobertura de papel. O caulim é lavrado e beneficiado por três grandes companhias que são responsáveis pela geração de aproximadamente 500 mil de toneladas anuais de um resíduo decorrente da etapa de centrifugação. Esse resíduo, na forma de polpa, é depositado em lagoas de sedimentação que ocupam grandes extensões de áreas. O objetivo da pesquisa foi investigar as características físicas, químicas e mineralógicas dos resíduos processados da Região do Jari e do Capim, de modo a avaliar se atendem aos requisitos como matéria-prima para a produção de uma pozolana de alta reatividade, o metacaulim, adição mineral que incorporada ao cimento Portland proporciona alto desempenho às misturas de concreto e argamassas. Os resíduos foram caracterizados por difração de raios X, análise térmica, espectroscopia de infravermelho, microscopia eletrônica de varredura, fluorescência de raios X e difração a laser. Ambos os resíduos são constituídos por no mínimo 92% de caulinita de baixa granulometria, cujas áreas superficiais específicas são superiores a 8 m²/g e os diâmetros médios de partículas inferiores a 1 µm. Os teores de sílica livre (quartzo) não foram superiores a 3%. O alto grau de concentração de caulinita destes resíduos dispensa os rígidos parâmetros de controle de remoção de impurezas, normalmente empregados na produção deste tipo de pozolana. O caulim do Rio Jari, com quantidade de defeitos na estrutura cristalina superior ao da caulinita do Rio Capim, proporcinou maior grau de desidroxilação a uma temperatura mais baixa quando calcinado, indicando a possibilidade de redução de gastos com energia para a produção da adição mineral. Os resultados das análises foram convergentes e apontam ambos os caulins estudados como excelentes matérias-primas para a produção do metacaulim de alta reatividade.

Psicanálise e musicalidade(s): sublimação, invocações e laço social

Pós-graduação em Psicologia - FCLAS

Preparação e caracterização da casca de banana prata particulada para aplicação com reforço em compósito de matriz de PEAD

The waste, exaggerated and incorrect disposal of biomass are common practices in modern times where everything is disposable. However the growing concern with the nature and the environment compel man to give nobler destinations for these products through sustainability and recycling of waste. Banana peel is a residual biomass, which is not consumed. It generates tons of waste per week in São Paulo city. This trash is disposed in dumps and landfills, which could be reduced by using it as reinforcement in natural composites. The high density polyethylene (HDPE) is a polymer derived from the ethylene polymerization and is easily recycled. Which makes it a sustainable material. In the present work characteristics of the natural composite composed with banana peel and high-density polyethylene were studied. It was noted that removing the lignin present in the banana peel, the fiber introduces a significant improvement in thermal resistance. The preparation of composite was made with a ratio of 5% and 10% of reinforcement in comparison with polymeric matrix mass. Composites were thermally, mechanically and microscopically characterized. The addition of fiber in the polymer increased the mechanical strength of the composite. The fiber surface treatment with distilled water removed the amorphous material present in the fibers, improving significantly thermal stability and increasing crystallinity of the celullose. The addition of 5% fiber in mass to the polymer increased significantly the tensile strength and elasticity modulus for the composite. With 10% of fiber addiction there were also an improvement when compared with pure HDPE, but when compared with 5% composite the mechanical properties are slightly lower. This may be due to the fiber particle size, which are small and eventually become a hub of tension ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Estudo de variações bioquímicas e genotoxicidade induzidas por mistura de contaminantes em tilápia (Oreochromis niloticus), como biomarcadores de contaminação ambiental

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)