Sustainable tourism sensitization: a program to engage and promote the participation of local communities

Abstract

Recent efforts to develop tourism have taken into account principles of sustainability in an attempt to ensure the generation and promotion of benefits for local communities, a process which requires the participation of community members. This study aims to report a application of sensitization program in tourism on a case in southern Minas Gerais state in Brazil, and to address concepts, procedures and recommendations related to sensitization programs in tourism. The sensitization program in tourism represents a valuable element to raise the local population's awareness of sustainability in tourism and has made it possible: to enhance the community's ability to participate and self-organize; to build on the members' ability to engage in discussions with other interlocutors; to encourage participation and potentize integrated and collaborative actions towards the development of local tourism.