A ATIVIDADE TURÍSTICA NAS RUÍNAS DE AIRÃO VELHO E SEU IMPACTO SOCIOECONÔMICO NO MUNICÍPIO E COMUNIDADES DENTRO E ENTORNO DO PAREST RIO NEGRO - SETOR NORTE

Abstract

This research focuses on investigating tourism as a productive activity in the territory of the Ruins of Airão Velho, located in the Rio Negro Setor Norte State Park, in the municipality of Novo Airão, Amazonas. This location is an important part of the tourist itinerary of the Lower Rio Negro, which includes the headquarters of the municipality of Novo Airão, the floating dolphins, the Madadá caves and the Mirituba indigenous communities of the Apurinã ethnic group, and the Jaú National Park itself, listed as Historical and Cultural Heritage of Amazonas. When well-managed in a socially fair manner, tourism can generate significant benefits such as income generation, incentives for the communities involved, and promote awareness about biodiversity conservation. This study aims to understand how tourism is organized in Airão Velho, the socioeconomic impacts of this activity, the problems and conflicts faced by the park's management, and the strategies adopted to promote local development using tourism in the region. The methodology is qualitative and exploratory, using bibliographic and participatory research under a content analysis approach. The results indicate that although tourism in Airão Velho presents convergent and divergent points that impact the experience of visitors, the economic viability of the activity and the structural challenges faced in the region can be minimized and optimized through democratic management that benefits community members, canoeists, guides, businesspeople and public authorities, and especially visitors who will receive a service and product with better quality. Given that the interviewees point out both negative and positive impacts, the research recommends that this management can occur in a shared manner with the different agents involved in tourism in Airão Velho.