Seridó Unesco Global Geopark: a study of touristic attractiveness based on tourism agencies

Abstract

A Geopark is a holistic concept of protection, education, and sustainable development, defined as a territorial management proposal that encourages the creation of economic activities, such as tourism, through geoconservation. Within this arrangement, there are tourism agencies, a segment that, based on the attractiveness of a location and its elements, undertakes the tourism process there in the form of itineraries or products. The research aimed to evaluate, through the motivation, experiences, and perceptions of tourism agencies, the tourist attractiveness of the Seridó Geopark. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, utilizing an open-ended questionnaire as the research instrument, with a final sample consisting of seven respondents, companies in the tourism agency segment that have the itinerary in question in their portfolio. Content analysis was the technique used for data analysis and interpretation. In summary, the results show that there is satisfaction with the destination, meaning these companies likely see tourist and financial viability for maintaining the Seridó Geopark itinerary in their sales catalog. Thus, the perception of these tourism agencies is positive regarding the commercial and tourist potential of the Geopark. However, it needs greater visibility and overcoming weaknesses and obstacles such as the lack of knowledge of the territory’s residents and a more active community involvement for more effective and sustainable tourism.