EDITORS’ PAGE

Abstract

The second 2009 issue presents four articles, a conference report and a book review.

As in former editions, tourism is analyzed from different theoretical approaches, sociology, social psychology anthropology, geography, ecology and management - planning - stating once again that several areas are needed for a comprehensive understanding of this social phenomenon.

The most important tourism actors can be identified in the articles: public sector, in charge of law and administration in tourism, private sector, in charge of investments in facilities and services, tourist themselves and, even shortly, also some locals at tourism destinations.

The role of government in tourism organization is evidenced in Sagi, Ruschmann and Ramos. Their report on a program developed in a Brazilian city shows that a correct planning project can benefit both, tourism management and managerial institutions. This is a detailed document on successful planning steps and will certainly be a precious instrument for future projects.

Hocayen-da-Silva and Teixeira analyze hotel business entrepreneurial vision at Curitiba City, Paraná State, Brazil. Two cases are presented, under the framework of organizational management theories and paradigms. No strategic alliances were found between local entrepreneurs and big national and international chains and the authors conclude that this is a weakening factor for creating sustainable competitive advantages.

Delphino focuses pressure in natural and cultural heritage issues in a seaside city at the northern part of São Paulo State. This article studies tourism within a broader scenery where also a port and the national oil refinery (Petrobrás) cause environmental problems. Ethnography is used for field research and theoretical frame includes management (planning), geography (mainly ecology), anthropology and urban planning. Only with such a diversity of tools can the researcher understand the complex relationships and interests which take place at the same time and space, including local land speculators.

Noteworthily, in this article the role of tourism can be read otherwise. Displacement of tourism from the historic center to distant  beaches  lead to  real state speculation on the place.

As former articles focus on what John Tribe termed as propositional knowledge, Melo´s article focuses on Tribe´s processual knowledge. His research is on psycho social processes involving the tourist gaze, the gaze of one who is abroad but brings his everyday life and his motivations, sometimes in contradictory ways. The researcher also considers tourism as being both an individual and a social action, because sometimes people tour as a social obligation compelled by consumption predicaments.

Figueiredo, Pereira and Almeida write a conference report on a high level seminar held at Belem City, Pará State, where archaeological itineraries in Brazil were presented. These are new possibilities for cultural tourism based on sustainability and responsibility paradigms, for selected tourists who can appreciate the richness of Brazilian heritage.

Finally, Rezende brings a detailed review on a book produced after the experiences of the Research Group Tourism, Land and Culture, under the coordination of Luzia Neide Coriolano. The book presents a new management model for tourism, based on local  production arrangements and solidarity economy, addressed to conscious tourists who want to be out of commercial circuits and know different realities. This turns into solidarity tourism experiences which make possible that the money brought by tourists does go to those who need it most.

Margarita Barretto

Sênia Bastos