Economia solidária e sua interface no turismo de base comunitária: limites e potencialidades na Comunidade Indígena Catu dos Eleotérios

Abstract

The Catu dos Eleotérios Indigenous community, located between the municipalities of Canguaretama and Goianinha (RN), has great potential for developing tourism activities based on community-based tourism. The community stands out for the scenic beauty of the Atlantic forest surrounded by rural aspects permeated by its symbolism and cultural uniqueness. It is understood that encouraging solidarity economy practices can influence local development and stimulate activities that are directly or indirectly linked to tourism, reducing latent levels of social vulnerability in the territories. The aim of this research is therefore to analyze how the solidarity economy associated with community-based tourism contributes to reducing social problems in the development of tourism in the Catu dos Eleotérios indigenous community. It is based on the hypothesis that cooperative and associative strategies can establish sustainable development actions, preserve culture and ancestry and promote democratic decision-making mechanisms. As for the methodological procedures, the research is characterized by a qualitative approach, exploratory and descriptive in nature. Among the techniques used, in addition to bibliographical and documentary research, participant observation was carried out using the focus group interview method with members of the community through the application of the extension project made possible by UFRN. The main results pointed to the difficulties inherent in low community participation in the decision-making process, mainly due to the fragility of social capital. The challenges permeate the creation of close ties between the different actors, with a view to intensifying community trust and confidence in the potential of tourism. In summary, the research found that there is a need for greater ties between residents, as they have difficulty understanding that it is necessary to invest capital (economic, social, intellectual) for the activity to generate a return, and are reluctant to take collective organizational initiatives, in addition to facing infrastructural challenges, as well as the behavioural particularities of the group (existence of social conflicts). Finally, tourism presents itself as an alternative for reducing social vulnerabilities in an attempt to intensify cultural exchanges, awareness and environmental preservation.