Paraiba Starts Here: Analysis of the tourism potential of the Atalaia de Forte Velho Watchtower—Paraíba.

Abstract

At the heart of the concept of heritage is the idea of preserving the past through multiple elements, which may range from materiality to value within a society. Bringing these aspects to the tourist context, heritage tourism can be understood as the contemplation of phenomena that carry values related to a community’s past. The focus of this research was the Atalaia de Forte Velho in the state of Paraíba. The watchtower was built by the Portuguese as a port defense during the 16th century, and was listed as a heritage site by IPHAN in 1938. Taking these aspects into account, the study analyzes the underestimated tourism potential of the region, from the perspective of the historical and socioeconomic appreciation of the local community. Through an observatory methodology, the site, the infrastructure of the tourist trade and the provision of services for the population were analyzed. The results show that the site has potential to develop heritage tourism. Based on these results, a comparison was made with another heritage site in the same category, seeking to propose the development of actions that could promote the destination and improve the tourist experience, bringing benefits not only for the local community, but also helping to preserve the heritage for future generations.