Non-governamental organization as an alternative for local development: an experience in the Metropolitan Region of Baixada Santista

Abstract

One of the sectors that most attract investments is Tourism, being one of the most important economic sectors globally. It has grown at an annual rate of 7% (seven percent) during the last decades. Brazil, even being the main tourist destination of South America, is still very incipient in terms of international tourists amount, and is also so when compared with the intra-regional tourism. This paper is resulted of a diagnosis of the touristic potential of the Santos Metropolitan Region. It was based in a survey of residents, tourists and an inventory of the infrastructure of natural, cultural, historical and gastronomic seeing sights of the region. The final result of this paper is a proposal for a reference model for the creation of an NGO, the one dedicated to the region’s economic development.