Bahia’s first State Park, Parque Estudual do Conduru, was established in a second area in 1997; <strong>and</strong> • holding participatory tourism workshops in Itacaré- Serra Gr<strong>and</strong>e that were run by IESB, a local social <strong>and</strong> environmental NGO, <strong>and</strong> Conservation International. Private sector investment was attracted to the region, including new resort developments with a sustainable approach to tourism, such as the low density Txai Resort, which opened in 2000 along the coast from Itacaré. A new programme focusing on local stakeholders A thorough evaluation <strong>of</strong> PRODETUR I, including an Environmental Impact Assessment <strong>of</strong> the programme, led to the approval <strong>of</strong> a second loan by IADB in 2002 for PRODETUR II. While demonstrating the success <strong>of</strong> PRODETUR I in stimulating investment, employment <strong>and</strong> tourism growth, the evaluation identified the need for PRODETUR II to improve mechanisms designed to exp<strong>and</strong> stakeholder involvement <strong>and</strong> enhance the control <strong>of</strong> environmental impacts. While continuing the general direction <strong>of</strong> PRODETUR I, the new programme built on lessons learned <strong>and</strong> included an increased focus on stakeholder engagement, capacity building (including increasing availability <strong>of</strong> environmental expertise) <strong>and</strong> integrated planning. Participating states were required to identify one or more tourism development ‘poles’ – a cluster <strong>of</strong> municipalities scheduled for tourism investment. For each <strong>of</strong> these poles, a range <strong>of</strong> stakeholders were to be engaged in a participatory process to develop a Plan for the Integrated Development <strong>of</strong> Sustainable Tourism (PDITS), while at the same time facilitating the creation <strong>and</strong> operation <strong>of</strong> multi-stakeholder destination management organizations. ‘Pólo Litoral Sul’, one <strong>of</strong> four poles identified by Bahia State, provides an example <strong>of</strong> how the tourism 52 pole approach has brought together stakeholders concerned with development, tourism <strong>and</strong> biodiversity. It consists <strong>of</strong> two coastal resort areas, Costa do Dênde <strong>and</strong> Costa do Cacau. Led by Fundação Getulio Vargas, a national higher education institution, a full range <strong>of</strong> stakeholders was drawn together from the public, private <strong>and</strong> NGO sectors to engage in developing a PDITS. The plan was published in 2004 <strong>and</strong> adopted by BN <strong>and</strong> the Ministry <strong>of</strong> Tourism for the state <strong>of</strong> Bahia. A programme <strong>of</strong> action was specified for each administrative level or partner, including the pole itself, the two resort areas, individual municipalities <strong>and</strong> the protected areas. For example, one outcome has been adding focus to the Itacaré-Serra Gr<strong>and</strong>e Management Plan by identifying six ecological zone types that <strong>of</strong>fer varying levels <strong>of</strong> protection to carefully selected areas, including beaches, headl<strong>and</strong>s, river systems <strong>and</strong> areas <strong>of</strong> primary forest. Remaining areas are zoned for economic activity, including four zones for different intensities <strong>of</strong> tourism development <strong>and</strong> activity. PRODETUR II comes to a close in March 2012. The ex-post evaluation will reveal more about the legacy <strong>of</strong> this sustained <strong>and</strong> collaborative approach to planning for, <strong>and</strong> investing in, sustainable tourism development in Northeast Brazil. Northeast Brazil Contacts Bruno Gabai, Manager, Banco do Nordeste Email: gabai@bnb.gov.br http://www.iadb.org/en/projects/project,1303. html?id=BR0323
53 © Gabr iel Carvalho / SETUR Part III: Case Studies
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