The Ministry of Tourism has updated the categorization of the municipalities that make up the Brazilian Tourism Map. This instrument is important for monitoring the performance of the tourism economy and for targeting public policies, as well as guiding the transfer of federal funds.
According to the new categorization, 17 cities in Bahia registered growth in the sector, such as Lauro de Freitas, Mucugê, Santa Cruz Cabrália and Teixeira de Freitas. In all of them, there was an increase in the number of jobs through tourism, the expansion of formal lodging establishments and the flow of domestic and international visitors.
“The improvement of destinations such as Mucugê, scenery of several waterfalls of the Chapada Diamantina and Santa Cruz Cabrália, with the charms of the beaches of the Coast of Discovery, shows that cities have been working to strengthen tourism. With regard to the Ministry of Tourism, we are attentive to the demands of the sector, such as infrastructure improvement, legalization and qualification of services, “says Tourism Minister, Marx Beltrão.
On the other hand, six cities in Bahia had reduction in their categories, including Amargosa, Camamu and Maragogipe. It is important to emphasize that categorization is a dynamic and perennial process that, like the Brazilian Tourism Map, should be updated and improved periodically. Thus, if a municipality has had its tourism flow and its formal lodging establishments expanded, probably in the next categorization, when data will be reassessed, it may change its position.
MTur Support – In order to improve the infrastructure of the cities and to recover positions in the categorization, the MTur has since 2003 allocated approximately R $ 5.6 million to Amargosa, Camamu and Maragogipe for works to reform squares, urbanization, revitalization of borders and tourist signage, among other initiatives.
According to ministerial order 39/2017 of the MTur, only municipalities classified as ‘A’ and ‘D’ can claim support for events that generate tourism flow. According to the new categorization, seven cities in Bahia, such as Itanhém, now in the ‘D’ category, can count on up to R $ 150,000 per year from the federal government to hold festivities. Another seven municipalities, like Mucugê, classified as ‘C’, are entitled to a limit of R $ 400,000. In addition, Lauro de Freitas, Santa Cruz Cabrália and Teixeira de Freitas, in category ‘B’, have access to a ceiling of R $ 500 thousand.
All municipalities – from A to E – are able to plead for infrastructure resources, such as construction of roads and highways of tourist interest; river and lake borders and terminals; reform of inter-municipal and interstate road terminals, airports, railways and railway stations of tourist interest; tourist signs, among others.
Bahia has 150 cities in the Brazilian Tourism Map, classified as follows: A (04), B (19), C (31), D (85) and E (11).
CHECK CATEGORY CHANGES – The new categories are already available at www.mapa.turismo.gov.br.
The municipalities that went up category:
- Adustine
- Aratupe
- Terrace
- Formosa do Rio Preto
- Gentile of Gold
- Ibicoara
- Ibotirama
- Itanhém
- Lauro de Freitas
- Mucugê
- Palm Trees
- Pindobaçu
- Planaltino
- Santa Cruz Cabrália
- Sento Sé
- Teixeira de Freitas
- Uruçuca
Source: Ministry of Tourism
Photo: Renata Santana