Itinerary of the caves of Campo Formoso (BA, Brazil): TIC and the possibilities of sustainable tourism

Abstract

This article investigates the possible contributions of Information and Communication Technologies (TIC) to the promotion of sustainable tourism in the visitation route to the caves of Campo Formoso city, in Bahia (Brazil), presenting experiences of the application of TIC to leverage the speleotourism in Brazil and abroad. With a qualitative approach, the study, of an exploratory and descriptive nature, carries out methodological and data triangulation, carrying out secondary research on institutional websites, documentary field research and direct research, with the application of electronic questionnaires and interviews with 41 stakeholders linked to the sector. The results confirm the potential of TIC to promote sustainable tourism in the municipality studied and to give broad visibility to the natural resources of its caves, especially in view of the innovative technologies of Augmented Reality and 5th Generation mobile internet, today with the prospect of expansion in the interior of the country, potentially contributing to local development in different spheres. However, the findings show that there are currently obstacles that need to be overcome so that Campo Formoso city can benefit from vigorous sustainable tourism, not only nationally, but also globally, with the use of TIC. The first obstacle is the lack of knowledge, on the part of managers and stakeholders linked to tourism in the municipality, regarding the possibilities of TIC to boost sustainable tourism in the Campo Formoso caves. The second is the lack of current infrastructure in Campo Formoso city for tourism. Given the emerging panorama, the authors propose an imperative modernization plan for sustainable tourism in caves in this municipality, with the adoption of TIC for its successful implementation.