Tourism and leisure spaces in the rural area of Teresina (PI): a proposal for sustainable development

Abstract

Tourism in rural areas comprises all activities carried out in non-urban areas, which consists of leisure activities in rural areas in various modalities defined based on the offer: rural tourism, agritourism, ecological tourism, etc. This work aims to understand the dynamics of tourism and leisure spaces in the rural area of the municipality of Teresina, Piaui, and their contributions to sustainable rural development. To this end, exploratory, bibliographic, and documentary research was used. The time frame to be worked on is contemporary, with the use of data and information from the Municipality of Teresina (PMT) through the Municipal Secretariat for Economic Development and Tourism (SEMDEC), in addition to the enterprises that operate in the field. In 2022, PMT created the Teresina Sites Route with the aim of strengthening rural tourism in the municipality. The results demonstrate that, among the businesses that make up the route, there is a variety of services offered, with most of them focused on gastronomy and sports and/or recreational activities. There are few enterprises that aim to offer an approximation to activities traditionally related to rural areas, such as agriculture and livestock farming. When considering that tourism and leisure options in rural areas can bring economic, environmental, and cultural benefits, it is essential to ensure that the activity does not grow in a disorderly manner, since a lack of planning can cause environmental degradation, loss of cultural identity and increased cost of living due to the appreciation of the area in question.