Tourism and Leisure

This sector, associated with water resources, can be grouped into three main segments: tourism and leisure on the immense Brazilian coast (approximately 8,000 km long), ecological tourism and fishing in some biomes, such as the Pantanal and the Amazon rainforest; and the still incipient sector of lakes and inland reservoirs, which has a great potential for tourism and leisure.

With regard to the first segment, the most significant problems are a deficient urban infrastructure and, more specifically, the lack of, or low efficiency of, sanitary sewerage systems that compromise the bathing quality of the sea beaches.

In terms of the second segment, considering that ecotourism already represents 5% of world tourism, and that there is an increasing awareness of environmental conservation both worldwide and nationally, the potential for growth in this industry in Brazil is undeniable, with its natural wealth, especially in the Pantanal and Amazon Rainforest biomes. The country already receives more than half a million tourists, creating 30,000 direct jobs, and growth rate of over 20%.

For the third segment, policy and strategy must first be established to allow the rational use of reservoir lakes as a low-cost leisure option for society.