Participatory territorial planning as a strategy to mitigate socio-spatial segregation: a study in Trancoso (BA, Brazil)

Abstract

Participatory territorial planning consists of the integration of the population in actions, plans and projects as well as the opportunity to make proposals regarding the territory in which they live. On the other hand, the territory used where human relationships and interactions occur in the social and physical environment is controlled by hegemonic agents who hold the scientific and informational technical environment and use the territory for their own gains under a capitalist structure that exploits individuals, separates and segregates, creating inequalities and impacts in these places. However, the Trancoso district and tourist destination in Bahia is controlled by these agents, represented by tourist trade companies that use the territory to the detriment of capital and cause problems and impacts. With this issue in mind, the research aims to problematize how the participation of residents in tourism planning actions can contribute to the mitigation of socio-spatial segregation and impacts related to tourism in Trancoso. The study has an exploratory descriptive nature, with a qualitative approach and the data collection procedure through the semi-structured questionnaire, applied online in June 2023 with 31 residents of Trancoso, which allowed the creation of a cloud of words and tables through analysis of content. The results indicate that the way tourism is planned in Trancoso does not include the population, leading to and intensifying socio-spatial segregation and local problems. However, popular and citizen participation in the tourism planning process can contribute to mitigating these impacts, given that the community recognizes the problems, understands that they need to be resolved and identifies possible solutions, requiring the decentralization of power by part of municipal management, combined with the return of district autonomy to residents, so that they can contribute ideas and propositions not thought of and/or implemented by public authorities in the district.