PUBLIC POLICIES, TOURISM AND SUSTAINABILITY: CONCEPTUAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF TOURISM ACTIVITIES IN CEARÁ

Abstract

Tourism represents one of the fastest-growing economic activities in Brazil and worldwide. The promotion of this activity requires governmental involvement and the implementation of public policies, establishing guiding principles, strategic planning, and investments. To achieve this, it is essential to identify existing needs, considering the importance of the impacts generated by tourism on the economy, society, and the environment. This study aims to analyze the conceptual and chronological aspects of tourism activities in the state of Ceará, Brazil, with a focus on public policies related to sustainability. A bibliographic and documentary research approach was adopted as the methodological resource, following an exploratory research design. The results revealed the evolution of governmental actions aimed at tourism and their interaction with sustainability principles, highlighting both achievements and challenges faced over time. Tourism in Ceará has been characterized by a remarkable trajectory of expansion, driven by federal, state, and, in some cases, municipal public policies. The outcome has been an exponential increase in tourist flows along the state's coastline. However, the expansion of tourism into inland areas has emerged as a counterbalancing movement, seeking to decentralize this concentration and provide visitors with new experiences in regions such as the mountains and the hinterland. The interaction between public policies, tourism, and sustainability is an ongoing process that requires renewed commitments and continuous improvements to ensure that tourism contributes positively to the state's economic, social, and environmental development while respecting its diversity and uniqueness.